Over the past few weeks, residents of Weyburn have learned three physicians will be leaving their practices in the community. 

Dr. Tare Matiza will be leaving the Weyburn Health Centre on June 30th, and Drs. Allan Fong and Mary McCollam will be leaving the same office on August 28th. With three fewer physicians working in the community, Discover Weyburn reached out to the Saskatchewan Health Authority to find out what recruitment efforts are underway to fill the vacant positions. 

While no one was available from the SHA to speak on the matter, an official statement was emailed in response to the request for an interview: 

“The SHA is aware of three physicians leaving the Weyburn Health Centre over the next several months.  SHA and saskdocs continuously focus on recruitment efforts to reach physicians across the country and around the world. Through our numerous recruitment efforts, we are working hard to fill these vacant positions. Should the positions not be filled prior to the departure of these physicians, we will work to ensure the community needs are being met. This may mean temporary physicians to bridge the gap, as there are locum physicians interested and available.” 

A locum physician is a substitute, or fill-in, physician who comes in to cover absences or vacant positions on a temporary basis. 

At this time, patients of the three physicians are being urged to find new family physicians.