North Bay social services board calls on health minister to prioritize area

The District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board says there is a high percentage of people in its area who don't have access to a family doctor and adds the emergency room is having to pick up the slack.

Joe Bradbury, the CAO of the DNSSAB, says 30 per cent of people in the region don't have a family doctor or nurse practitioner.

"We're seeing a 25 per cent spike in hospital revisits," Bradbury said.

"There's a huge wait list with a lot of the mental health and addictions providers in our community."

According to the DNSSAB, it needs at least $2.5 million in primary care direct funding to ensure services are provided effectively. It adds the area has a higher percentage of vulnerable patients on the province's Health Care Connect list, waiting for a doctor.

Holding the province accountable

"We know that individuals that don't receive timely, regular access to healthcare, it increases in the probability of premature death," he said.

"It's a significant risk that we have to basically hold the Ministry of Health accountable for."

Bradbury says data from the North East LHIN shows the North Bay area has twice the provincial average of opioid cases going through the emergency room and higher rates of mental health issues.

He acknowledges other communities have issues with a shortage of family health providers.

"We're hoping that the minister basically looks at us and prioritizes it for our area," he said.

"Anybody that needs and wants a doctor should have access to a doctor."

Bradbury was in Toronto on Monday to discuss his concerns with the provincial health minister.