(File photo/northeastNOW)

By Cam Lee

Tisdale docs leaving

Recruitment efforts underway with Tisdale set to lose three doctors

Apr 12, 2024 | 11:08 AM

There are some concerns from residents in Tisdale with the departure of three physicians this summer.

The Ministry of Health confirmed to northeastNOW in a statement that the three doctors have submitted their resignations.

The resigning physicians are Dr. Okezie Nweze (last clinic day July 31), Dr. Bukola Oyinloye (last day Aug. 8), and Dr. Ehab Estfanous (last day Aug. 23).

The Northeast Medical Clinic in Tisdale is asking for patience with three doctors set to leave in the summer. (Facebook/Northeast Medical Clinic)

There are currently six physicians in Tisdale, and the Ministry said a seventh physician position has been added, to “expand health care options for residents of the Tisdale area and to make the community a more attractive option for prospective future physicians.”

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Tisdale Mayor Al Jellicoe told northeastNOW they will meet with the Ministry and the Saskatchewan Health Authority representatives to look toward the next step.

“We’re taking some steps to try to alleviate that,” Jellicoe said.

The Ministry statement said recruitment efforts are underway to fill the physician vacancies “through the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s (SHA) Practitioner Staff Affairs and the Saskatchewan Healthcare Recruitment Agency.” The Ministry added the recruitment will continue through job postings, career fairs, and reaching out local, national, and international medical students and residents.

The Ministry said there are incentives for physicians to come to rural areas like Tisdale.

“The newly updated Rural Physician Incentive Program provides up to $200,000 over a span of five years for new to rural practice physicians as a means of attracting and retaining physicians in eligible rural communities in Saskatchewan, such as Tisdale.”

“The Ministry of Health also recently launched a nurse practitioner utilization enhancement to expand the areas of practice of Saskatchewan’s nurse practitioners (NPs),” the statement read. The Ministry said the initiative increases one NP position to full-time to see more patients total of two full-time Nurse Practitioner positions.

Mayor Jellicoe said the good news is the physicians aren’t leaving for several months, so it gives all sides time to try to fill the vacancies.

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Cam.lee@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @northeastNOW_SK