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Summerside's New Health Hub: Will Doctors Arrive?
22 Nov
Summary
- New $23 million community health centre in Summerside set to open in March.
- Concerns raised about staffing the new facility with family doctors.
- P.E.I. province focuses on island-wide doctor recruitment strategy.
A new community health centre in Summerside, P.E.I., is anticipated to open in March, marking a significant development for local healthcare services. This $23 million facility will offer a range of services, including primary care, mental health support, and public health nursing. Construction on the Granville Street site has been ongoing since 2022, with the government expressing excitement about the enhanced capacity.
However, concerns have been raised by local MLA Tyler DesRoches regarding the centre's staffing, particularly the availability of family doctors. He highlighted existing wait times and the struggle for residents to access primary care providers. DesRoches questioned whether the new facility would attract new physicians to Summerside, noting a tendency for doctors to prefer locations closer to Charlottetown.
Health Minister Mark McLane acknowledged these concerns, stating that while the province offers incentives like return-in-service agreements, physician choices ultimately guide placement. The government's current strategy focuses on island-wide recruitment rather than localized teams, aiming for a broader impact on physician availability across P.E.I.
