The math didn’t work out Monday night for Belleville city councillor Ryan Williams.
In a passionate address during new business, Williams asked that the city write a letter to local MPP and cabinet minister Todd Smith and the Minister of Health
and Long Term Care Christine Elliott asking that the province provide the financing for 10 new nurse practitioners, two to be hired as soon as possible.
Williams said there were still 15,000 people in the area without a family doctor and that nurse practitioners could do almost anything a family doctor does at much less cost.
“Our family physician recruitment program is doing great but we still need 30 more doctors. We have a crisis here, let’s show our support.”
However some on council, including the mayor, were concerned that the request was coming to council at the last minute and wasn’t backed with any business plan or information supporting the need for more nurse practitioners.
“The provincial government won’t be impressed with a little letter demanding money from them. We need a thorough professional approach here” said the mayor.
Councillor Kelly McCaw expressed frustration with having items tossed in front of council at the last minute. “I support more nurse practitioners but let’s think about this and present the province something credible.”
In a recorded vote, Williams’s motion to quickly write a letter of support for more NPs passed 5 to 4.
However, because the motion was brought under new business it was defeated as it needed two thirds support.
Meanwhile, councillor Pat Culhane, who has decades of experience in health care, told council that some wouldn’t like what she was going to say. “It might take 20 years to actually happen but Nurse Practitioners need to be able to practice independently. Now, they have to work under the supervision of a doctor. They need to regulate themselves and they provide a great service. I’ve never seen a report about a nurse practitioner abusing patients or breaching health care standards. Reports of issues with doctors are common.”
The City of Belleville currently has a Nurse Practitioner clinic located downtown. It is running at capacity and is not accepting new patients at this time.
