Williams Lake is one of more than 60 rural communities in British Columbia set to benefit from changes to the province’s rural doctor coverage program.

The changes are made possible by a funding increase of approximately $800,000 on top of the $2.6 million provided annually for this program, announced Health Services Minister George Abbott.

Revisions to B.C.’s Rural General Practitioner Locum Program will increase financial incentives up to $1,000 per day based upon community isolation and the enhanced skills necessary to support the community’s hospital.

“Physicians offering locum services to provide relief for general practitioners practising in eligible rural communities will be compensated at different rates depending on the degree of isolation of the community and on the additional skills they provide to hospitals in those rural communities,” said Abbott. “Revisions are also being made to B.C.’s Rural Specialist Locum Program to attract more locum relief for specialists working in eligible rural communities. The enhancements to our rural locum programs are part of our strategy to strengthen health-care services in rural communities and ensure that patients have the best access to medical care.”

The Rural General Practitioner and the Rural Specialist Locum Programs are provincewide initiatives designed to help physicians working in eligible rural communities to secure subsidized periods of leave from their practices for vacation or continuing education. These programs are developed and implemented by the Province in collaboration with the BCMA through the Joint Standing Committee on Rural Issues (JSC).

“The Rural Locum Program provides a great opportunity for doctors to experience working and living in different areas of the province,” said Dr. Granger Avery, co-chair of the JSC and a rural GP.

“But more importantly, it reduces the challenges that rural doctors face when looking for locum replacements when time off from their practice is needed. We’re pleased to work with the government on this program.”

The new guidelines recognize differences in degrees of isolation of rural communities within four categories. This eliminates the flat rate currently provided to all physicians for locum service and the standard number of days offered for potential locum relief.

The enhancements will strengthen medical coverage for B.C.’s more isolated and vulnerable communities.

To be eligible for the Rural General Practitioner Locum Program, physicians must work in a community with seven or fewer physicians. For eligibility in the Rural Specialist Locum Program physicians must work in specified communities with fewer than five specialists working in the areas of general surgery, anesthesia, emergency medicine and obstetrics.

The 18 designated Rural Specialist Locum Program communities in B.C. are: Campbell River, Comox, Courtney, Cranbrook, Dawson Creek, Fort St. John, Kitimat, Nelson, Port Alberni, Powell River, Prince George, Prince Rupert, Quesnel, Sechelt, Smithers, Terrace, Trail and Williams Lake.