South Shore residents air concerns

Health Minister Robert Mitchell meets with former patients of Dr. Henrik Visser

A group of South Shore P.E.I. residents concerned with health coverage have presented Health Minister Robert Mitchell with a proposal to set up a collaborative care clinic in Crapaud.

The South Shore Health and Wellness advocacy group formed earlier this year after Crapaud family physician Dr. Henrik Visser retired and his replacement, Dr. Joey Giordani, moved to another location.

“With the sudden departure of (Giordani), there is now no full-time physician practising between Summerside and Cornwall, an area with over 8,000 residents,” the group stated in a news release following its meeting with Mitchell Friday.

The group is looking for the collaborative care centre to be staffed by a full-time physician and two nurse practitioners and work collaboratively with other Health P.E.I. sites.

“With the sudden departure of (Giordani), there is now no full-time physician practising between Summerside and Cornwall, an area with over 8,000 residents.” South Shore residents group

“We propose the costs to provide these services be shared between government, private businesses and local residents,” the group states, noting its members will help recruit the health-care providers and subsidize some of the costs associated with finding a doctor and nurse practitioners to set up in the area.

Health P.E.I. has committed to providing some health-care services with a nurse practitioner on a limited basis in Crapaud until a more permanent arrangement can be made.