Candidate for Progressive Conservative nomination in Barrie – Innisfil, Devin Scully, sent the following op-ed to share with our readers:
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Ontario Doctors Deserve Better
Every person in Ontario depends on our doctors being able to do their job well. Our doctors have faced a relentless fight with the Wynne Liberals, who’ve called them greedy, and placed the blame for the opioid crisis at their feet. Our doctors deserve better.
Members of Provincial Parliament need to understand the challenges faced by our healthcare professionals, whether it’s doctors, mental health and addiction workers, nurses, or anyone else in the healthcare field. This means reaching out and listening to our healthcare professional’s concerns, and addressing those concerns properly.
After speaking personally with an Ontario doctor, I’ve determined that the biggest things that need to happen across the board are:
a) The province needs to stop accusing medical professionals of being overpaid and incompetent. This should be a given, but after comments made by health minister Eric Hoskins it needs to be said.
b) Move forward with the assumption that doctors and their offices are acting professionally and above board unless evidence exists to the contrary.
c) Address the opioid crisis in a way which doesn't place suspicion and blame on doctors unless evidence exists to the contrary. By all means, address doctors who are engaging in shady practices, but stop making the assumption that every doctor is over-prescribing. I met someone recently whose husband had undergone surgery and was under-prescribed because the doctor was worried that prescribing something stronger would be a red flag, even though he believed it was needed. That doctor shouldn't have to be wary of prescribing the proper medication because he's under undue scrutiny in the middle of a province-wide crisis.
These points address systemic problems brought about by the Wynne Liberals. It’ll take a team effort to make real change on that front, but I’m confident that with a strong effort real change can be made.
At the local and individual level, MPPs need to take the time to listen to doctors working in the field, understand their concerns and then address those concerns accordingly. I trust that doctors in the field know more about what they need and what affects their practice than a politician at Queens Park. They're the ones who should be giving input, which needs to be brought forward by MPPs. It's an issue the Liberals have really dropped the ball on. Barrie-Innisfil deserves an MPP who will stand up for our doctors, and I plan to do just that.
For more information on Devin Scully’s campaign for the PC nomination visit our webpage, or email [email protected]
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