Party leaders explain ‘how’ and ‘why’ on doctors’ turf

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This article was published 27/09/2023 (750 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The three main party leaders’ campaign promises to improve health care were put under the microscope Wednesday night by Doctors Manitoba at a town hall meeting.

Leaders of the organization that advocates for 4,000 physicians and medical students across the province had some pointed questions for the leaders about the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ for some of the major fixes they’ve proposed on the campaign trail.

“A little more meat on the bone” is what Doctors Manitoba president Dr. Michael Boroditsky said he was looking for from Progressive Conservative Leader Heather Stefanson, NDP Leader Wab Kinew, and Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont.

The hourlong session at Doctors Manitoba’s headquarters saw the three leaders sit down for a one-on-one Q and A session with CJOB Radio’s Richard Cloutier, who asked questions on behalf of physician members.

First up was Stefanson, who said human resources is the biggest challenge facing health care. She said her government is actively recruiting 150 doctors, has signed an agreement with doctors to improve retention and has offered tax incentives to make the province more attractive to live.

When asked about the PC promise to expand the scope of practice for pharmacists, she said it’s to alleviate pressure on doctors, not take away from their scope of practice.

Stefanson was asked about her promise not to impose any pandemic lockdowns in the future, and what she would do if the chief provincial public health officer said it was needed.

She said that there is no longer any need for them.

“We’ve got the tools in place more than we did at the beginning (of the COVID-19 pandemic). We’ve increased the capacity. … The reason for lockdowns is the system couldn’t handle the number of patients,” she said.

Lamont said the Liberals’ vision for fixing health care includes a Brandon University medical school to train doctors who stay in Manitoba as well as paying physicians to spend more time with patients who need it, rather than the fee for service model. He hailed cost savings from clinics who treat patients before their health care problems worsen.

“Investing in preventive care reduces the crisis care and the hurt.”

That includes having nurse practitioners in personal care homes, Lamont said.

Kinew said the most pressing health care concern is a staffing crisis caused by a culture that’s seen “an infantilization of physicians who are the experts.” He said the “upper echelons” of the health care system haven’t been listening to those on the front lines, and if the NDP form government, he said that would change.

“It’s important we bring freedom of speech back to the bedside.”

Kinew was asked about the privatization of health care services, and if he supported its expansion. “We have to find the right balance,” he said. An NDP government would look to the Canada Health Act for guidance. “Are we living up to the Canadian values of universal access?”

The format of the event didn’t allow for healthy debate but was a “physician’s fantasy,” Doctors Manitoba past-president Dr. Candace Bradshaw said afterward.

Having all three party leaders answering tough questions about the health care system on the doctors’ turf was promising, she said.

Although they had different ways of approaching problems, all three agreed there’s a shortage of family doctors, allied health care professionals and health care workers. All are intent on recruiting and retaining staff and the need to increase medical school capacity.

“All of these things are very encouraging,” Bradshaw said.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca

Carol Sanders
Legislature reporter

Carol Sanders is a reporter at the Free Press legislature bureau. The former general assignment reporter and copy editor joined the paper in 1997. Read more about Carol.

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