On Tuesday, May 30, Niverville’s town council announced that it has formed a special task force whose mandate is to find solutions to several large problems facing health services in the community.
Six members comprise the Health Task Force, which will be headed by Norm Klippenstein, who has been appointed by council to act as chairman, and Kathy McPhail, who will act in a facilitator and consulting role. Klippenstein is a former member of the Southern Health board, and McPhail recently retired as the board’s CEO. Gordon Daman has been appointed by Niverville Heritage Holdings Inc. and Nathan Dueck has been appointed to represent town council. Two additional members will soon be finalized, one each from Niverville Open Health and the Niverville Health and Community Foundation.
Mayor Myron Dyck has said that the task force is needed in order to research what measures other municipalities are taking to attract and retain doctors and other medical professionals to their communities. The task force will also determine what measures the province is taking in response to medical staff shortages in rural areas, as well as the measures they may have taken in the past which they are no longer be willing to assume under the new government.
“[We need] to research and determine how best, in relation to health access and long-term care for Niverville and [the] region, the Town of Niverville can encourage and ensure this remains a priority in light of changing provincial dynamics,” Dyck says.
Dyck adds that another priority of the task force will be to provide council with recommendations prior to its fall planning sessions.
