Nearly a million people in BC without a family doctor

“In B.C., when we train doctors here, they stay here, which isn’t true in other provinces. 80% of our doctors that we train in B.C., stay in B.C. Compare that to Alberta where only 60% stay.” – Adrian Dix, B.C. Minister of Health

However, opposition health critic Shirley Bond says that the process for recruiting family doctors to come to B.C., should be streamlined.

“It’s not about watering down credentials. It’s about making the process more streamlined and welcoming people who have appropriate credentials to come and help here in B.C..” – Shirley Bond, Opposition Health Critic (BCU)

Dix says there were about 5,000 family doctors working in family care in B.C. as of December. He says the number of nurse practitioners in primary care also increased to 590, up more than 11 per cent in the year to December 2023. But Dix acknowledges more than 880,000 people in B.C. are still without a family doctor, with the province facing a growing population including about 200,000 new residents last year.

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X: @AdamBerls

Email: Adam.Berls@pattisonmedia.com

by Adam Berls

Nearly a million people in BC without a family doctor

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