Doctors of BC and BC Family Doctors (BCFD) shared a joint space at this year’s Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) Convention, connecting with elected officials and government leaders from across the province to discuss local health care issues with a focus on physician recruitment, retention, and establishing medical clinics in many communities.
Doctors of BC President Dr Adam Thompson, Chief Medical Advisor for Primary Care Dr Josh Greggain, and BCFD President Dr Birinder Narang, along with senior staff, attended the convention to engage directly with municipal leaders. Doctors of BC and BCFD representatives also connected with provincial government ministers to discuss issues affecting physicians and bring the profession’s perspective directly to government.
Municipal leaders were particularly interested in understanding what attracts physicians to a community, what recruitment supports are available, and how they can help physicians establish practices, build connections, and put down roots. Discussions also highlighted the complexity of physician workforce planning, including how many physicians a community needs, medical school capacity, and the potential impact of changes to Return of Service programs on rural and remote communities.
While there is no single solution to physician recruitment and retention, local governments have an important role to play. They can help create welcoming communities for physicians and their families, support the establishment of medical practices, and work with physicians, Divisions of Family Practice, health authorities, and other partners to identify and address local needs.
Our conversations at UBCM reinforced the importance of bringing physicians and communities together. Doctors of BC and BCFD will continue working with partners across the province to ensure the physician perspective informs solutions that strengthen access to care and support a sustainable physician workforce.
