Grey Bruce now has a new specialized physician to help address youth mental health challenges in the region.
Grey Bruce Health Services president and CEO Lance Thurston says a child and adolescent phychiatrist was one of 10 new physicians the health care organization attracted to relocate to the area over the past year.
Thurston says this is the first time the region has had a child and adolesecent physchiarist, which will provide regional service for hospital inpatients, outpatients and also interact with community organizations such as Keystone Child, Youth & Family Services.
“Child and adolescent phychiatry is definitely a new level of service that the region has been crying for, for decades, and that we now have been able to attract,” Thurston says.
Thurston notes efforts continue to recruit physicians in hospital medicine, anesthesiology, internal medicine and surgerical assistance.
Family physician recruitment is also ongoing and Thurston says GBHS plays a supporting role.
“For example, the Meaford community has had a longstanding need for additional family physicians and we are part of the effort there to attract physicians,” explains Thurston. “And we're having some good success there.”
GBHS operates six hospitals in the region at Meaford, Markdale, Lion's Head, Southampton, Wiarton and Owen Sound.
Thurston notes most of the new physicians are based out of the Owen Sound Regional Hospital, as it provides secondary or specialist care for the entire region.
