A minimum of 6 weeks per year is recommended, and there should be travel subsidies for rural doctors practising in remote areas. The group was unable to come up with any specific recommendations on how to manage and implement a rural health care strategy, but the group did identify several areas that need to be addressed if a rural health strategy is to come into being. Any plan to solve the problem of recruitment and retention of rural doctors must be comprehensive, flexible and amenable to implementation according to each province and territory's focus. It must also outline the range of services that will be needed in all areas of rural medicine and address the quality of access to good health care by rural residents. As Graham Scott said in his introductory remarks to the conference, the time for stopgap measures and fact finders is past.
Action is required.
The need for financial recognition, reasonable call schedules, quality education aimed at the needs of rural medicine and support for rural physicians in both their private and professionals lives must be met to solve the chronic problems of recruitment and retention of Canada's rural doctors. References Squires BT, recording secretary. Ontario Ministry of Health, Ontario Hospital Association, Ontario Medical Association, 1995. Policy on training for rural practice .