Tag Archives: Shortage of doctors & nurses

Health

‘I’ve only got one set of hands’: Last remaining ER doctor in Port Hardy wants to hire physician assistant out of his own pocket

National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Port Hardy Hospital’s emergency room is headed for life support, says the only ER doctor expected to be available as of July 1.

Of the four local doctors on the roster at the largest hospital in northern Vancouver Island, one tendered a resignation in March and two others recently announced their departure at the end of June, said Dr. Alex Nataros.

Continue reading ‘I’ve only got one set of hands’: Last remaining ER doctor in Port Hardy wants to hire physician assistant out of his own pocket →
Community

Immigration Canada rings in 2023 by making history

By Fabian Dawson, New Canadian Media, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Canada’s immigration department is giving itself a pat on the back today by announcing it has achieved its target of welcoming 431,645 new permanent residents to the country in 2022, about 30,000 more than the previous year.

“Canada has experienced one of the fastest recoveries from the pandemic, thanks in large part to our approach to immigration,” said Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in a media statement to welcome the new year and highlight the historic milestone.

Continue reading Immigration Canada rings in 2023 by making history →
Health

B.C. needs to invest in primary care to stem the bleeding of family doctors from rural areas

National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Rural communities in B.C. will continue to suffer critical doctor shortages and the knock-on effect of repeated emergency room closures until B.C.’s primary care system is modernized, an expert says.

New physicians are shunning family practice, while established doctors are abandoning it because of the way primary health care is delivered, said Dr. Rita McCracken, a family physician and researcher with the University of British Columbia’s Department of Family Practice.

Continue reading B.C. needs to invest in primary care to stem the bleeding of family doctors from rural areas →
Health

Mayors in rural B.C. band together to push province to fix health-care crisis

National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A coalition of small-town mayors and politicians are uniting in hopes of tackling the urgent health-care crisis in rural communities across British Columbia.

Mayors Gaby Wickstrom of Port McNeill, Merlin Blackwell of Clearwater, and Lori Ackerman of Fort St. John are some of the municipal leaders asking peers to join a rural caucus to develop solutions and draw attention to the crisis.

Continue reading Mayors in rural B.C. band together to push province to fix health-care crisis →
Health

BC Greens Launch Hearings on Health-Care ‘Crisis’

By Moira Wyton, The Tyee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The BC Green Party says urgent action is needed to address the province’s “collapsing” health-care system.

And its two MLAs are  planning a series of meetings across the province this summer to hear  from health-care workers and patients on solutions.

Continue reading BC Greens Launch Hearings on Health-Care ‘Crisis’ →