The country’s military ombudsman has found that National Defence is reluctant to conduct regular health assessments on reservists because over one-third of them have no family doctor — and if they’re sick it would be the department’s responsibility to care for them.
Gary Walbourne’s latest report shows only four of the military’s 18 field ambulance units, which are responsible for part-time soldiers, are conducting exams, and that the vast majority of them are not properly equipped to carry out the job.
He says the detachments are understaffed and often don’t have access to the military’s central medical database.
The report comes at the same time as questions are being raised about the health of Canadian Rangers who patrol the Far North.
Since reservists are part-time members, the general expectation has been that they are to seek care under their provincial health systems, even though the military requires them to be medically fit to deploy at all times.
Walbourne has outlined several areas of concern, including the social-legal liability for so-called “orphan patients” with no family doctor.
“The Canadian Forces health services group’s legal advisers contend that if a reservist requires followup care as a result of an issue discovered during a (periodic health assessment), the DND/CAF must refer them to a family physician,” said the report. “If the member does not have a doctor, the DND/CAF should assist them in finding a physician, or a clinic, which can provide followup care. If a resource cannot be found, then the DND/CAF is responsible for providing care to the member.”
H/T The Star / Canadian Press
