New North Backs Health Region in Fight with SMA

New North Backs Health Region in Fight with SMA

Monday, December 13, 2004 at 17:37

 

 

An executive member of New North says he feels the Saskatchewan Medical Association (SMA) is out of line with its repeated criticism of the Keewatin Yatthe health region, and the way its handled the La Loche doctor’s situation.

 

Max Morin says he can’t understand why the SMA is being so negative about a situation it’s not a part of.

 

Morin says the group has done all it can to put down the recent moves of the Keewatin Yatthe health region, without venturing forth any positive solutions of its own.

 

It was just recently the health region re-hired two doctors to staff the health clinic in La Loche, and is reportedly in the process of lining up two more.

 

The SMA blasted the move, saying it didn’t make sense to fire and then re-hire doctors under a different contract.

 

It also questioned whether these steps would jeopardize the health region’s ability to find and retain doctors in the future.

 

Morin says it’s not the place of the association to interfere with the wishes of the health board members who actually live in La Loche, and furthermore he questions the SMA’s motives.

 

Morin says the issue will be discussed at a meeting of the west-side municipalities association tomorrow (Wed) in Ile-a-la-Crosse.

 

At that meeting he says a resolution may possibly be tabled calling for the provincial and federal governments to investigate the SMA and its ethical

behaviour in this regard.