Local leaders form new committee to tackle doctor recruitment and retention

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A new committee is being formed in Fort St. John to address ongoing challenges with physician recruitment and retention in the Peace region.

The initiative follows a meeting hosted by the North Peace Division of Family Practice on Monday, October 20th, which brought together local physicians, municipal officials and community leaders to discuss long-term healthcare solutions.

Mayor Lilia Hansen shared in a Facebook post that the City of Fort St. John council is committed to addressing the problem.

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“Access to timely, quality healthcare matters – and the city council is committed to being part of the solution,” Hansen wrote. 

She added the goals of the initiative are to create a “community-led approach that makes the Peace region a destination for healthcare professionals,” and to retain them in the long-term.

According to the North Peace Division of Family Practice’s executive director Mary Severson-Augustine, the meeting was well-attended by a diverse group of stakeholders. 

Attendees included representatives from Northern Health, the City of Fort St. John, the District of Hudson’s Hope, the Peace River Regional District, the Fort St. John Petroleum Association, the Fort St. John and District Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club of Fort St. John and several physicians.

“We emphasized the importance of collaboration between community members, healthcare providers and other stakeholders,” Severson-Augustine told Energeticcity.ca. 

“It was an engaging and productive session, with many great ideas brought to the table.”

According to Severson-Augustine, the newly formed committee will meet regularly to ensure progress and the effective implementation of new initiatives. Membership details are still being finalized, but the division plans to provide updates as more details become available.

The effort comes as many northern B.C. communities continue to face physician shortages, which often result in Emergency Room (ER) closures.

In the case of Tumbler Ridge, staff shortages have resulted in the reduction of on-call ER hours at its health centre.