Dr. Bantock says young physicians these days aren't as willing to take the financial risk it takes to open up their own doctors office (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

DOCTOR SHORTAGE

Kamloops physician feels B.C. government isn’t providing enough incentives for young doctors to start own practices

Dec 19, 2019 | 5:51 PM

KAMLOOPS — It’s been a year since the Summit Medical Centre closed its doors last December, making an already desperate situation worse. It’s left a huge gap that has yet to be filled.

The province opened up the Urgent Primary Care & Learning Centre beginning in summer 2018. It has filled some of the need left behind. However, physicians in the region feel the primary care centre is a temporary fix to the ongoing crisis in the region.

“[The B.C. government] keeps opening urgent care clinics and things around the province that are a band-aid fix when if we could get people into practice, we would be fixed,” said Dr. Chip Bantock who splits his practice between Kamloops and Sun Peaks. “I’m still seeing a desperate need of family doctors doing general family medicine. There’s a great need throughout the province. I still don’t feel enough is being done to help our young physicians get into practice.”

Dr. Bantock feels young physicians aren’t willing to take on the financial burden of opening their own office. But he adds if the province were to provide more incentives for newly-graduated doctors, the problem would be solved. He says eight more doctors at 1,000 patients per practice would suffice the demand in Kamloops.

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According to HealthLink BC, there are more than 8,400 patients in Kamloops waiting for a family doctor. Many are still leaning on the few walk-in clinics, including the Kamloops Urgent Care Clinic. It’s been busier recently with the Kinetic Walk-In Clinic closed the last week because it’s without a doctor.

Dr. Bantock says the lack of physicians is putting huge stress on the emergency room at Royal Inland Hospital.

“[With few walk-in clinics], the only resort is the emergency,” said Dr. Bantock. “These government [urgent care] clinic are supposed to be taking the weight off of emergency. I just can’t see how that’s really happening.”

Karen Mallinson is one of the few lucky B.C. residents with a family doctor. Her family moved up to Sun Peaks from Abbotsford because of the new health centre that open in December 2017. She knew they would be receiving top-quality care close to home.

“When the medical centre opened up, that’s when I said ‘okay, we can go now. We have a doctor,'” said Mallinson, noting the family wanting to move to Sun Peaks sooner. “We find it important to have a family doctor, especially with young children and we’re very lucky to have one so close by.”

Dr. Shane Barclay, who’s been working full-time since the health centre opened, left his family practice on Salt Spring Island because he was burnt out with too many patients. He feels a more team-based approach to family medicine, like in the case at Sun Peaks, is the future.

“Working solo, that’s old school. It’s dead and gone. Young people don’t want that. I don’t want that,” said Dr. Barclay, who lives in Sun Peaks. “So I think somebody has to either help physicians set up clinics or they need someone independently.”

Dr. Barclay applauds Interior Health for its residency program at RIH. He feels it’s a great way to train physicians, some of whom are bound to stay in the city to practice.

Meantime, Mallinson doesn’t know what she would do without a family doctor. She’s grateful to have physicians like Dr. Bantock working in Sun Peaks.