A local task force is continuing recruitment efforts despite being faced with challenges in attracting family doctors to Chatham-Kent.
"It takes time to recruit new family doctors," said Recruitment and Retention Task Force Co-Chair Denise Waddick.
The task force has recruited five new family doctors so far this year in Chatham-Kent and is continuing to look to hire about 14 more. A recent report shows that four doctors have joined the Chatham-Kent Family Health Team while the other joined Tilbury Family Health Team. Two former residents have also taken over the practices of retiring doctors.
"It's a challenge that many communities face across the province in trying to secure and recruit family physicians to their community, especially in areas that are more rural than your larger city centres," said Waddick.
The task force has been recruiting family doctors to the area since 2019. According to Waddick, roughly 20,494 residents in Chatham-Kent are without a family doctor.
"We don't have enough primary care service and supports in our community and because of that we are considered as an under-served municipality," said Waddick.
The municipality has been providing the task force with $100,000 a year since 2019 but that agreement will end in December 2022.
"We want more physicians to come here because we have thousands and thousands of people and they wouldn't have a problem starting a practice," said Waddick. "
Moving forward, the task force said it plans to expand its online presence through social media and its own website.
