The appointment of Dr. Jane Philpott by the Ford Government to a new $550,000 job to remedy the shortage of primary care physicians will not solve any of the problems as I outline in my op-ed on todays show.

Indeed, it is somewhat ironic that the primary care system that Dr. Philpott lauds as one to emulate (Netherlands) also uses mandatory private insurance and co-payments to achieve its goals.

I completely agree that this would help solve the problem but that is not what is being proposed. Instead it is more bureaucracy, more top-down control, medical boards akin to school boards that would oversee medical centres, and the promise that government would cover all costs. If that was the case, would the Netherlands authorities be doing the same?

It is so predictable and depressing at the same time. As reputable as Dr Philpott is, respectfully, unless you are on the ground having managed a family practice and dealt with the realities of said practice, I do not think you have much in common with my experiences and it is of utmost hubris for the solutions she proposes to think it does.

Your Calls and Comments:

• Management and prevention of back pain in an 87 year-old man
• Cardiovascular disease risk assessment
• The Family Doctor Shortage