Doctor shortage forcing Cornwall, Ont. walk-in clinic to close June 12

One of only two in-person walk-in clinics in Cornwall is set to close next week, blaming the ongoing doctor shortage as a key factor.

Outside the McConnell Medical Centre, the walk-in clinic was a busy spot on Tuesday. So busy, staff put up a sign saying no more appointments would be taken after 12 noon.

That’s why news of its closure on June 12 via a Facebook post came as a shock for many that use it.

"We're stuck until we can find a doctor and I don’t think we will," said Cornwall resident Roger Deschamps. "We need a new doctor because our doctor was from here and he retired, so we are looking, but it's kind of hard to find one."

Renske Hartholt adds, "I was very disappointed because I don't have a family doctor so I come here for a refill of my prescriptions so I don't know what's going to happen."

Hartholt, 78, says she's been on the hunt ever since losing her family doctor almost five years ago.

"I have been going to different places and getting the same answer, ‘We're just not taking any,’ and had family doctors, but they've aged out so they've left, so I have nobody right now," Hartholt said.

A nurse who works in the clinic says she will lose her job, after working there since it opened 32 years ago.

She noted she is more upset at seeing patients, especially the older demographic, losing health care with nowhere to go, rather than losing her job.

She mentioned the doctor shortage as the main issue behind the closure, saying some physicians are ready to retire after working in the field for decades.

Cornwall mayor Glen Grant was also disappointed to hear about the closure when it was announced in May.

"There are so many people without a family doctor and this gave them an opportunity to have somewhere to go to get treated, and it's going to create a void in our community," he told CTV News Ottawa outside city hall.

He noted that the city does have incentive programs in place to lure doctors to the area, such as a scholarship program and medical recruitment program, but thinks the province should do more to help recruit doctors rurally.

"I'm kind of pleading with Premier Ford to see what they can do to help out. Give them the incentives to get into family medicine," Grant said. "I think it's important for the provincial government to realize there is a problem with family doctors, and the demands on their time and the amount they are paid.

"A number of residents stop us and say, ‘What can the city do to help out?’ And we talk about our medical scholarship program and our medical recruitment plan," he added. "We are reassuring the residents that we are progressive in trying to get something to correct this negative item in our community."

Walk-in patients that use the McConnell clinic say they are now looking out of town to try to find a family doctor.

"We are looking even in Winchester, Alexandria, anywhere in the surrounding area," Deschamps said.

"I know my son and daughter in-law have a doctor out of town and she’s a new doctor and we're going to ask if she takes people in, new patients," he added.

Meanwhile, Hartholt says she is worried wait times will also increase with the closure imminent.

"I've been waiting here already for two hours, so what's it going to be like when they close this one? It's scary," she said. "Everybody's going to be affected and I don't know what's going to happen."

The only other in-person walk-in clinic in Cornwall is the Pitt Street Medical Centre, located at 1331 Pitt St.