A health task force that was assembled in Niverville in spring presented their preliminary report at Tuesday’s town council meeting and made recommendations.

Former Southern Health Board Member Norm Klippenstein is the Chair of the Niverville Health Task Force. He says the task force got together a number of times since spring with the objective of making recommendations centered around doctor recruitment and retention.

"The main suggestion is to set up the advisory committee that can act as a body to basically take the information from the various groups in Niverville who are providing health care services and then have these groups feed information into the advisory committee so we can keep an overview of the overall services."

He notes this advisory committee could then work with town council on continuous strategic medical planning as the community grows. He notes the proposed advisory committee would also get medical professionals involved in creating a vision for Niverville’s future and serve as a support system for new medical professionals so they feel at home in the community.

"We need to have people who would enjoy being part of a community like Niverville and if we find people like that, then to help them to integrate with the community. The fit would be them having a feeling that this community is big enough for them. What is happening with the new school and also what is happening with Open Health should all work to attract people."

Klippenstein says the health task force hired Kathy McPhail, the former CEO of Southern Health, as a consultant. McPhail presented at the Tuesday council meeting and noted the best thing for doctor retention is not financial incentives from the community but rather when they feel at home and invested in their community.

Mayor Myron Dyck says Niverville has been blessed by Dr. Chris and Mairi Burnett for many years and they want to ensure Niverville continues to have that sort of care for the future. He notes council will take the health task force’s report into their planning session in November.

"With the recommendations that we heard today, council will have a very good discussion as far as ensuring that doctor retention, doctor recruitment, but health services as a whole remains sustainable. We understand that councils come and go, medical professionals come and go but the health services in a community, how do we ensure that that sustains."

Read more: The Town Of Niverville Establishes Health Task Force