To remain competitive economically as the city grows, Barrie has to take a stand and fight a possible change to a provincial program that may no longer label the city underserviced in terms of doctors.

The label, say Barrie councillors, is a good one. It keeps the city in the minds of medical, and provides grants to help the city attract more doctors.

“Barrie must maintain its competitiveness and ability to attract physicians. We are an underserviced area. There are thousands of families without a family doctor,” said Coun. John Brassard, who also chairs the city’s community services committee.

Along with other local municipalities, Barrie pitches in to help bring doctors – general practitioners as well as specialists – to the area. This year, the city boosted its contribution to $110,000, up from its past $100,000 contribution.

In 2008/9, Barrie received $86,617 from the Underserviced Area Program, up slightly  from $85,460 in 2007/8.

But Brassard said it’s not about money. It’s about service.
“(Not enough doctors) results in long lineups and waits in walk-in clinics. We have to take a stand. It’s a very important issue at a very important time,” he stressed.

Barrie is planning to grow to 210,000 over the next 25 years.

Barrie is also investing $52.5 million to help expand the Royal Victoria Hospital and has pledged $5 million to help with Georgian College’s health and wellness building.

Ministry of Health and Long-term Care media relations co-ordinator David Jensen said the province’s goal is to make a difference in rural communities, a category Barrie doesn’t fall under.

The proposed changes to the underserviced area program use a rurality index, created by the Ontario Medical Association.

“We’re redesigning and improving the program to help rural and remote communities. More and more communities have been falling under the guidelines, and right now, three of four communities in southern Ontario qualify,” he explained.

“We’re trying to get it back to its original roots. We’re using this rurality index to determine whether a community would be eligible.”

However, Barrie and Windsor could still benefit from a new rule regarding return of service – the time a newly licensed doctor (whether trained in Ontario or abroad) serves in areas for a specified period of time in exchange for a training position or tuition assistance. The program would bar new doctors from spending their first few years in Toronto and Ottawa, which are over-serviced areas.

“We want to make sure the funding goes to the smaller, more rural communities that have even more difficulty than the Barries and the Windsors,” Jensen explained.

But another Barrie councillor said it’s a health issue – and a matter of equal access. In growing centres, demand outstrips supply for doctors.

“In the past several years, I have been struck by the number of people that cannot find regular medical care in Barrie. Many have to travel to Toronto or other municipalities,” said Ward 3 Coun. Rod Jackson.

“This situation affects people from all walks of life. Wealthy, underprivileged, old and  young families alike are burdened by trying to simply find a family doctor or get treatment from a specialist.”