People in one of Vancouver Island’s largest cities are expressing frustration with their ongoing searches for family doctors – which has been an issue province-wide.
Nanaimo, B.C., resident Nancy Smith says she’s been looking for a new family physician since her doctor retired in July 2019 – and calls the current search "appalling."
She worries about the lack of routine screenings that’ve fallen off the radar since losing her doctor.Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog says even though the matter falls under provincial jurisdiction, he fields calls from residents asking for help finding physicians who may be taking patients. For example, the province has recently unveiled $118-million in temporary funding for family physicians to help pay overhead costs – in the interest of keeping clinics open.
Nanaimo’s mayor tells CTV News he personally meets with new resident doctors, promoting the city as an attractive place to practice. Krog stopped short of suggesting more drastic measures.