Dr. Don Westby who started as a family physician in Weymouth in 1984 was scheduled to retire the day after the Oct. 29 meeting about the future of the Weymouth Medical Centre.
David Nurse of CanAm Physician Recruitment Inc. told the Weymouth Doctor Recruitment Committee Jan. 6 that they have found a doctor interested in visiting sometime in the next few weeks.
“We’re really pleased,” said Linda Gregory, warden of the Municipality of the District of Digby and chair of the Weymouth Doctor Recruitment Committee. “They’ve only been working on this for a month and they’ve already identified an individual. We need a doctor in Weymouth so this is wonderful.”
Weymouth has been without a doctor since Nov. 1 when Dr. Don Westby retired after 30 years practicing in the community.
Representatives of Nova Scotia Health told a public meeting in Weymouth on Oct. 29 that finding a replacement for Dr. Westby wouldn’t be easy.
[Replacing Dr. Westby: Health authority says it won’t be easy to recruit a doctor for Weymouth, Oct. 31]
Nathan Hanna of the Weymouth Doctor Recruitment Committee had other ideas.
“I don’t think Weymouth is a hard place to recruit a doctor to,” said Hanna at the Oct. 29 meeting. “They (the health authority) haven’t been able to do it. But I think as long as they don’t stop us, we’ll be okay.”
[Replacing Dr. Westby: Weymouth committee may hire own recruiter, Oct. 31]
The recruitment committee hired CanAM in early December – the Municipality of the District of Digby has approved $25,000 to pay the recruiter to sign a doctor for the Weymouth area.
[Recruiters will hunt new physician for Weymouth, Dec. 3]
Recruitment committee members include Coun. George Manzer and Municipality CAO Linda Fraser, Weymouth Village chair Irwin Gaudet, village commissioner Anthony Frizzell, village clerk Murray Betts, community members Dr. Don Westby, Nathan Hanna, Barry Faulkner, and Denise Theriault, along with representatives from the Municipality of Clare.
Weymouth doctor recruitment timeline
Oct. 29 – Nova Scotia Health Authority says finding a physician will be hard
Nov. 1 – Dr. Don Westby retires
Dec. 3 – Recruitment committee hires CanAM Physician Recruitment
Jan. 6 – CanAM announces potential doctor
