GUYSBOROUGH: The Municipality of the District of Guysborough hopes to recruit new doctors by showing them what the community has to offer.
Last week, municipal councillors and representatives of the Guysborough Memorial Hospital Foundation met with a potential new doctor and his wife, and gave them a tour of the area.
“It was very positive. It was a good meeting, and we showed them what the municipality has to offer in regard to infrastructure, hospitals, and whatnot,” said Guysborough Warden Vernon Pitts.
“They had them on the tour of all of our facilities, like the performance centre and the new Chedabucto Lifestyle Complex.”
Pitts said this is the first time he has taken part in this type of meeting with a potential doctor. He feels it is important to highlight the services and amenities available within the community.
“This is a great place to live, work, and play, and you can do all of it here within the municipality,” he said.
Pitts noted there are many factors to consider when a doctor comes to a new community.
“If you’re recruiting a doctor, you’re not just recruiting one person. Usually, the doctor is married and their partner will need to work somewhere. In essence you should almost be looking to fill two jobs, it’s a package deal,” he said.
Pitts said although the meeting went well, there is no word yet on whether the doctor will decide to relocate to Guysborough.
“It will be an exchange now between the hospital foundation and the potential resident doctor,” said Pitts.
Pitts added the Guysborough Memorial Hospital serves a catchment area of approximately 3,000 people and currently has two doctors.
“It’s a lot of work for two people,” said Pitts. “We have a fear that our existing doctors are going to burn out and then nobody benefits. So let’s start recruiting right now. Let’s get our ducks lined up and look forward to the future.”