By Staff
Dr. Lynn Noseworthy, medical officer of health for the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit, was scheduled to retire in June of 2020 – then the coronavirus pandemic hit, delaying her departure.
Last week, the health unit announced that Noseworthy’s last day would be Dec. 11, 2020 and that Dr. Natalie Bocking would be taking over starting in April 2021. In the interim, Dr. Ian Gemmill, former medical officer of health for Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Public Health, will be filling the position.
Bocking has worked for the last four years as a public health physician at the Thunder Bay District Health Unit and Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority. She received her medical doctorate from McMaster University and is a public health and preventative medicine specialist. During her time in northern Ontario, she was also a locum family physician. She and her family now live in City of Kawartha Lakes.
“She has a wealth of knowledge and experience in providing public health programs and services in rural areas of the province and has most recently worked with northern First Nations communities to provide public health services,” Doug Elmslie, chair of the board of HKPR District Health Unit, said.
He thanked Noseworthy for her time with the health unit. “Dr. Noseworthy has guided this health unit through some challenging times and we wish her all the best for her well-deserved retirement,” he said. “Dr. Noseworthy has worked tirelessly to help provide quality public health programs and services to the residents in our communities and I know Dr. Bocking will do an excellent job in carrying on that work.”