Charlottetown doctor taking leave for personal reasons

A Charlottetown doctor with a large clientele is off the job.

Health P.E.I. says Dr. Grant Matheson is on "indefinite leave" for personal reasons.

Marilyn Barrett is Director of Primary Care Networks for Health P.E.I.. She says the Charlottetown family doctor has about 1,500 active patients.

Barrett says a doctor has been hired to come in part time to review reports and test results, so Matheson's patients can be notified if follow up is needed.

"The main options for patients are to put themselves on the patient registry to seek another family physician, or they can try to find a family physician on their own, or a combination of the two," said Barrett. "Or they can certainly wait for Dr. Matheson. Unfortunately, we do not have a return to work date."

Barrett says people with non-urgent medical issues can also use walk-in clinics. She says Health P.E.I. is looking into hiring a locum to replace Matheson while he's off.

There are currently about 9,000 people on the Island on the patient registry waiting for a family doctor.