Parents feel helpless as Saskatchewan's only pediatric gastroenterologist prepares to leave

Sarah Turnbull says the wait for her three-year-old Blake to see a pediatric gastroenterologist was going to be six years. Now it seems like it could be endless, with Saskatchewan's only doctor in that specialty set to leave this coming May.

"When she was one year old, they found an unknown tissue on her liver. She has been on the waitlist since then," Turnbull said.

"The second reason is that she has a neurogenic bowel that requires special management, and we've never seen a gastroenterologist about that either."

There were two pediatric gastroenterologists in the province when Blake was first added to the waitlist. So far, Turnbull has relied on parent groups and the internet to treat her daughter as they waited to meet Dr. Simone Nicol, the remaining one.

Now the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) has confirmed that Nicol will be closing her practice in Saskatchewan as of May 12 and is working on winding down all services. The SHA would not comment on specifics "due to privacy legislation."

"I don't know what the plan is for us. It's stressful," Turnbull said. "As a single mom of two kids, there is already burnout. I'm worried about her liver, as she has never been looked at."

Turnbull said she has been to the legislative building multiple times to speak about this and that the government assured her that things would improve. Instead, she says the situation has left her alone to take the "second full-time job" of caring for Blake's medical needs.

"Google is not the doctor, neither is another parent. I don't have a medical degree but I'm left to be my own doctor."

She said Blake wasn't even able to see a specialist after being hospitalized for bowel issues two years ago.

"I'm not mad at the doctors, as they are overwhelmed and not being supported," she said. 

"There's obviously a crisis when all these specialists are leaving. They are leaving to be recruited somewhere else as they are sought after. What are we doing to help them stay?"

CBC reached out to Dr. Nicol for comment, but was referred to the SHA.

In an email statement Tuesday, SHA said it is actively recruiting to fill pediatric vacancies, including pediatric gastroenterologists, with targeted recruitment strategies for Saskatchewan pediatric graduates, other Canadian graduates and international physicians. It said the ministry is working on recruitment and retention.

"The Government of Saskatchewan is also establishing an independent agency dedicated to the recruitment and retention of doctors, nurses and other high-priority professions," the statement read.