By Jill Sperling

Kamloops MLA Todd Stone voices concern over Urgent Primary Care Centre

Jun 9, 2018 | 10:33 AM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Todd Stone says the Urgent Primary Care and Learning Centre set to open this month is a good inititative to alleviate some pressure on Royal Inland Hospital’s emergency room. 

However, Stone says he is concerned that the recruitment of doctors for this centre could take physicians away from existing primary care practices.

“If we see a poaching of family doctors from one centre to another we aren’t actually adding any additional capacity to primary care in Kamloops,” he said. 

Stone says the government needs to train more doctors and nurse practitioners in order to address the doctor shortage in Kamloops.

“We certainly haven’t seen the government to this point commit to adding additional seats at our universities to train more doctors,” Stone said. “Until they do that I don’t think we’ll see the success that the government is gearing for in terms of enhanced primary care in Kamloops.

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He adds he is very supportive of the Family Practice Learning Centre, an initiative that was worked on by the former Liberal government.

The Learning Centre opens in the fall.