PRRD receives presentation on healthcare action plan from South Peace Division of Family Practice
Speakers for the South Peace Division of Family Practice presented its plan to improve healthcare to the Peace River Regional District at Thursday’s meeting.
DAWSON CREEK, B.C. — Speakers for the South Peace Division of Family Practice (DOFP) presented its plan to improve healthcare to the Peace River Regional District (PRRD) at Thursday’s meeting.
The DOFP is a non-profit society comprised of rural primary care workers who support and promote sustainable, healthy communities through partnerships and agreements. Its priorities for 2024 include planning and implementing the Primary Care Network (PCN), enhancing team-based health care, and supporting recruitment and retaining health care providers.
According to Dr. Magda Du Plessis, co-chair of the DOFP, the Chetwynd, Tumbler Ridge, and Dawson Creek have struggled to form a division of family practice.
Ongoing projects from the DOFP include the Primary Care Network, long-term care, inpatient care and more.
The division has 31 practitioners across Chetwynd, Tumbler Ridge, and Dawson Creek.
Kyle Pearce, consultant for the PCN, presented the DOFP’s regional plan to improve service designs to ensure patients have more access to primary care services, bring health care and education to communities, and hire more staff with navigation services for patients needing mental health or substance care.
Presenters for the DOFP requested that the PRRD board issue a letter of support to the B.C. Ministry of Health to get funding to hire more doctors and healthcare workers across the region.
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Discussions on issuing a letter of support will happen at a future meeting.
The health care plan also includes acquiring the Eljen Medical Clinic in Dawson Creek as a regional hub for new health care workers. The clinic would provide maternity and chronic disease care to residents around the Peace region.
Director Jordan Kealy asked if there was assurance that DOFP would hire new staff and not hire from the local workforce.
Dr. Plessis says no local physicians or nursing partitioners can work locally.
Councillor Tony Zabinsky commented, saying he liked the model but noted he did not see a budget in the presentation and raised concerns about how equipment is paid for.
According to Pearce, clinics in the Chetwynd and Tumbler Ridge clinics are funded by Northern Health.
Dr. Plessis said funding would come from the B.C. Ministry of Health.
DOFP will review and make any amendments to its regional plan next week before submitting it to the Ministry of Health, with funding expected to come in autumn 2024.
The South Peace Division of Family Practice’s presentation can be viewed below:
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