Ontario’s Ministry of Health is arguing in arbitration with the Ontario Medical Association that recruitment and retention of doctors is not a major concern.

But the head of the Ontario Medical Association’s Section on General and Family Practice says the group is insulted by a claim from the Ford PCs that recruitment and retention of doctors is not a major concern.

Dr. David Barber says the talks are going so poorly that an arbitrator is now being asked to determine compensation levels for the first year.

The province is in the midst of negotiations with the O-M-A for the next four-year Physician Services Agreement, which determines how doctors are compensated.

The ministry is proposing a 3% increase, while the OMA is proposing 5%, as well as a a 10.2% catch up partly to account for inflation.

The ministry argues there is no concern about a diminished supply of doctors, as Ontario has seen growth in physicians that far outstrips population growth.

However, it’s estimated there are about 2.3-million Ontario residents without a family doctor. Government data shows there are more than 3,000 physician job vacancies.