EAGLE VALLEY
NEWS
Dispute shuts schools for another day Page 3
Michaud medals at tae kwon do competition Page 7
Wednesday, June 4, 2014 PM40008236
Vol. 59 No. 23 Sicamous, B.C., • 1.25 (GST included) • www.eaglevalleynews.com
Rainy day, warm hearts: With Marco Warger in front, 20 participants in the Big Bike ride to support the Heart and Stroke Foundation took to the streets and raised a total of $4,379 for the cause. Teams included the Quality Strokers and the Heart Throbs. Jackie Erickson was the top fundraiser of the day and has been a dedicated participant for nearly 10 years. Photo by Victoria Rowbottom
Efforts underway to recruit new physician By Lachlan Labere Eagle Valley News
A collaborative approach may be the way to entice physicians to locate in rural Shuswap communities. This approach was on display in Penticton over the weekend at the Rural Emergency Continuum of Care conference, where a contingent from the Shuswap, represented by the Shuswap Healthy Communities Coalition, was attempting to sell the region and its rural communities – Sicamous, Chase, Sorrento and others – to doctors. “We’re all going to be recruiting and helping each other in trying to present the Shuswap and our communities in a positive light to attract physicians, just get them to know that we are recruiting and also maybe, by being there, talk to them and find out exactly what our next generation of physicians, rural physicians, are really looking for and what would convince them to bring their families
to these communities or agree to made it to Vernon where they were tors, and how can we best help provide service to these commu- told “there’s nothing in Sicamous them to get their doctors.” nities,” said Pam Beech. “We’re for your family.” For Beech, this Beech notes that what’s hapstaring to take very proactive and emphasizes the need for a col- pening in Sicamous is happenco-operative action towards this laborative approach, between ru- ing throughout the Shuswap. The effort because we know we all ral practices and their respective South Shuswap, for example, has have the same need.” communities. a nurse practitioner but no doctor. Beech manages the Sicamous “Because I’ve been through “The North Shuswap has two Medical Clinic, where her hus- this, I know it’s not just about doctors, but they have made it band, Jack Beech serves clear they want out of as the community’s doctor. the practice… so they’re Jack turns 65 this year, and recruiting as well,” said Beech says he would like to Beech, noting rural com“We’re starting to take very munities are often isolated ease out of the practice. But proactive and co-operative in a sense that they do not he’s reluctant to do so withaction towards this effort have adequate (if any) out a replacement. because we know we all have transportation “He doesn’t want to do systems the same need.” that. That would leave this that can connect them to Pam Beech community without a clinic, the services patients need. Sicamous Medical Clinic manager because he owns the clinic,” For those who have acsaid Beech who, for the past cess to transportation this six years has been trying to is not such a big issue, but recruit for the clinic. what we do, but how we, as a for communities like Sicamous, One doctor who had planned community, work together,” said with a large population of seniors to take over the practice passed Beech. “It’s about our whole area and people on limited incomes, away. recognizing where the needs are, this can be a problem. And this, A husband and wife team of where the doctors are needed, she says, can define a practice and doctors who had planned to visit and everybody working together the responsibilities rural doctors the practice wound up losing in- to support the concept that rural have to take on. terest on the way. Beech said they communities deserve to have docBeech notes the B.C. govern-
ment and the Interior Health Authority have both recognized the need for doctors in rural communities and are making an effort to fill it. However, she feels more can be done, such as incentives to help cover the cost of tuition for physicians fresh out of university, such has been done to attract doctors to northern communities. The issue of Jack’s retirement has come up on more than one occasion at Sicamous council. Coun. Suzanne Carpenter has become involved in the recruitment effort and, at a recent council meeting, stated the problem is global, and that “it’s a whole new world out there as far as what doctors want from a community.” “So basically, we’re going to have to go and sell ourselves to bring a doctor here,” said Carpenter. “We’re really lucky in our community that we have a local doctor who lives here, Dr. Beech, and whenever you see him, say ‘thank you,’ because there’s not too many places that have a doctor who stays around.”