Two doctors are moving from Quinte West.
We have been told by a patient that Doctor’s Amrita Sembhi and Mary-Kathryn Blackbyrne are leaving their practices and moving from the region.
Quinte West Mayor Jim Harrison, who would not confirm the names of the doctors, says municipalities are having to use tax dollars to try and recruit physicians and it is competitive.
“What happens is other places do the same, other places offer a little bit more incentive. So it’s difficult to keep the doctors that they have and if they do break the contract, then they still have to pay us back the money.”
Docs By The Bay offers financial incentives to doctors or medical students to locate to Quinte West. It is sponsored by the Trenton Memorial Hospital Foundation, the City of Quinte West, and the Municipality of Brighton
Harrison added that one of the topics they discussed with the Minister of Health at the Rural Ontario Municipal Association conference, was getting doctors to come to the region.
“So competitive, this process that we’re working on. We’re building a new health centre, or in the process of it. We’re working with different doctors and groups to try and do this, to have a place for doctors to work.”
It is not know when Sembhi and Blackbyrne will be leaving, however, one source tells us the recruiting process is ongoing and they are working to get the patients in with another physician. Nothing has yet been confirmed
We are told under the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, a doctor must provide written notice to a patient 90 days before moving or retiring from a practice.
