A shortage of urologists has become so pronounced that patients' lives are at risk, managers of a St. John's-based health authority have been warned.

In a powerfully worded letter to the Eastern Health regional authority, urologist Dr. Douglas Drover said an "excessive volume of work" in the specialty has meant waiting times of almost a year for patients seeking treatment.

'I could not believe what was in his letter,' says NDP Leader Lorraine Michael.
(CBC)

Drover, who was attending a medical conference last week, was not available for an interview with CBC News.

However, his letter lays out a litany of problems. For instance, about 300 patients are waiting for operating room time so that surgery can be performed.

Drover is one of just seven urologists practising in Newfoundland and Labrador. He urged Eastern Health to hire more specialists, warning that not to do so would be "tantamount to medical negligence."

Andy Grant, a member of a prostate cancer support group in St. John's, said he is afraid that people will die — or already have — while waiting for surgery.

"First of all, [patients deal with] the shock you might have prostate cancer, then the shock of being confirmed with prostate cancer," he said. "Now you have the shock of saying, 'I have to wait until next year?' "

New Democratic Party Leader Lorraine Michael said she was disturbed to learn of the problems that Drover outlined.

"I think the word I would use is 'horrified.' I could not believe what was in his letter," she said.

"We're sounding like we're in a developing country and not in a province that has the resources that we have."

Health Minister Ross Wiseman said the government is working on a solution to staffing shortages in urology and other areas. 

"We're in the process now of developing a physician human resource plan, and we hope to be able to, either in the early fall or late winter, roll out that strategy," Wiseman said.

"[This] will identify the kinds of specialties and family practice doctors we have — where we need them [and] how many we need — and that will give us then a blueprint for the future."

Drover's letter said Nova Scotia, with less than double the population of Newfoundland, has more than four times the number of urologists, with 29.