A doctor in Cape Breton who was planning to retire at the end of June says he feels as if he’s being forced to continue working out of concern for his patients.

Dr. Harry Pollett has been treating people with chronic pain for more than 20 years. Now in his 70s, he wants to retire, but Pollett says that plan is on hold because the Nova Scotia Health Authority wants to eliminate some of his staff.

If that happens, Pollett says it will leave his patients with nowhere to go.

“This clinic is not a one-man operation. It’s a five and now six-person operation,” says Pollett.

The Nova Scotia Health Authority says it is responsible for the salary of one registered nurse and an office support person, while Pollett covers the cost of four additional staff members.

“I can just imagine if I retire at the end of June and my successor came in and he had one nurse only and was unfamiliar with the situation and one secretary, also unfamiliar with the situation, and 40 patients to see, it would be chaos,” he says.

Patient Edwina Quinn has been coping with chronic pain for years and says her only relief is a weekly visit to Pollett’s clinic at the Northside General Hospital.

“I have a lot of issues. I have chronic pain, fibromyalgia, back problems. I have pain, really, from top to bottom,” says Quinn.

Chronic-pain patient Christine Moore is also worried about the decision to eliminate some of the staff at the clinic once Pollett retires.

“It’s bad enough as it is, how busy that office is,” says Moore. “It’s staggering how busy he is there.”

However, the Nova Scotia Health Authority says if a physician feels that he or she needs additional staff above what is provided, it is his or her responsibility.

“What’s important is the quality level of care provided to patients, and we don’t anticipate that changing,” says health authority spokesperson Greg Boone.

But Quinn disagrees, saying her health will suffer with fewer staff members at the clinic.

“They’re so busy. With one nurse, eventually they’re going to be so stressed out, trying to get through all these patients,” she says. “How long is it going to take for them to make a mistake?”

For now, Pollett says he will continue to work, while searching for possible solutions. If none can be found, he says it could mean the end of the clinic.

“Although, they said they have no plans to close it, this would effectively close it.”

With files from CTV Atlantic's Kyle Moore