Call For More Family Doctors

Walk-in Clinics of BC is launching a petition calling for more family doctors.

The group’s Founding director Mike McLoughlin says the BC government needs to train, recruit and retain more family physicians.

He says one of the impacts has been 45 walk-in clinics closing in BC the last five years.

“You’ve had two in the last year in Vernon close. We in Kelowna, have had two clinics close. Victoria has had two close, and it’s starting to affect the Lower Mainland now,” McLoughlin tells Kiss FM.

McLoughlin says there is a need for 290 more family physicians in BC.

“Health Match BC runs a list of vacancies for family doctors. Last year it was 447 family doctors on the list, and the net increase in family doctors last year was 151,” adds McLoughlin.

He says the province could more incentives for doctors to take up family medicine, and also reduce some of the dis-incentives.

“They have this daily volume limit for family doctors, and that’s a disincentives for young doctors who need to pay off their student debts. They want to work hard and a lot, and the government is basically saying sorry.”

McLoughlin says his group — which has 300 walk-in clinics as members — is circulating a petition to get government to train, recruit and retain more family physicians.

McLoughlin says the petition will be available at walk-in clinics, starting Friday.