The town of Kipling is set to face a significant loss in healthcare services as they will be down to one physician by the end of January. Three doctors arrived in the community after the implementation of a virtual physician program. Two of those three are now resigning.
“Two of our doctors who arrived in the latter part of summer and into early fall have paid out their contracts, apparently, and will be leaving at the end of January,” says Mayor Pat Jackson. “They had only been here since, well, one of them since August. So, yeah, that is concerning.”
She continues, describing the situation as not unique in rural communities across the province and that there’s only so much municipalities can do.
“Healthcare is not part of our sandbox, if you will. But we certainly keep trying to make sure that the people in the roles to do something, are aware that there is need.”
Jackson explains there have been conversations between communities facing healthcare challenges and she hopes to see positive outcomes soon.
“More and more of us, they're having these issues, they're kind of getting together and doing a lot of talking. And hopefully, there will be some positives coming out in the next few months. It would be very nice.”
One of these communities is Radville, who just recently saw the implementation of a virtual physician program and is now facing a nursing shortage.