Killarney-Turtle Mountain Council was thrilled to receive an email Tuesday morning to confirm the newest addition to their medical team at the Killarney Clinic and Tri-Lake Health Center.

Dr. Jim Heptinstall, his wife Jackie and their 5 children will be moving to Killarney from the U.K. this summer, most likely in July so their children will be well-settled before the start of the new school year in September.

Mayor Janice Smith says the good news has been a long time coming and they couldn't be more thrilled!

Dr. Jim and his family are making the move to Killarney-Turtle Mountain so he can spend more time with his family, as his current practice in the U.K. has been extremely demanding and taking him away from valuable family time.  Smith says adding Dr. Heptinstall will be a good fit for their complement of family doctors.

She notes the lack of doctors is an ongoing stressor for most every community across Manitoba, and most of Canada. "The shortage of doctors is an issue that every community is dealing with right now."

Currently the Tri-Lake Health Centre has two doctors on staff; Dr. Mark Bemment and Dr. Saheed Balogun.  Dr. Heptinstall will be the third doctor to join the medical staff.  Mayor Smith says they're still working in collaboration with Prairie Mountain Health to fill their full complement of 5 doctors.

"We will hopefully have more good news coming down the pipe for everybody," shares Smith.  "We used a recruitment company, Waterford Global, to help find these doctors in conjunction with Prairie Mountain Health to find the right fit for our community."

"Bear with us, community of Killarney and area," she adds. "This is a long process and when you're dealing with people and families and extended families and immigration, it just doesn't happen overnight. These doctor families have to make sure they're making the right decision, and it needs to be the right decision all the way around, because we want the proper fit for our community."

"We don't want this to be a transition point within our community. We want these doctors to stay and make Killarney their home."

"We are pursuing three more other doctors," she adds.

"Our recruitment company has put together some other candidates for us, but they are working hard, and Prairie Mountain Health is working hard, and the community of Killarney-Turtle Mountain is working hard. So, with all of us working together we will get this done!"

The contract for incoming doctors through the partnership with Prairie Mountain Health is for a 4-year contract.  "But let's talk about Dr. Bemment and his wife, Rachel, and they are on year 7, and he was recruited through Waterford Global as well," shares Mayor Janice Smith. "That was a very good fit. It shows that it works, that the process does work!"