Norfolk County Council agreed to provide Norfolk General Hospital (NGH) with $100,000 for doctor recruitment, despite some concerns from councillors.
NGH CEO Todd Stepanuik and Physician Recruiter Carolyn Beam presented a deputation to council, outlining past strategies for attracting doctors to the area and emphasizing the strain on the hospital system caused by a shortage of family doctors.
While councillors agreed on the pressing need for more family doctors, some raised questions about how the funding would be used.
Councillor Alan Duthie expressed these concerns during the meeting.
A key focus of the discussion was converting the current part-time Physician Recruiter position into a full-time role. However, there was less clarity about other proposed expenditures, as captured in this exchange involving Councillor Duthie, Stepanuik, Councillor Adam Veri, and Mayor Amy Martin.
Councillor Chris Van Paassen introduced the motion, but adjusted the recommended funding amount from $106,000 to $100,000.
Councillor Duthie seconded the motion, albeit reluctantly.
Mayor Martin also expressed her support for the motion, though she shared similar reservations.
Currently, $150,000 remains set aside for a similar project in the future. However, Mayor Martin indicated that she would be hesitant to allocate additional funds unless tangible improvements are made. She also advocated for the county to take a more hands-off approach to this issue moving forward.
Although most councillors supported the motion, Councillor Veri cast the lone vote against it.
Written by Matt LeBlanc