South Island Division of Family Practice

Board Updates

 

SEPTEMBER 2021
 

This past year has been another interesting one! It was a year where more bodies were added to our two Primary Care Networks, both as allied health professionals into member clinics and/or our communities, but also on the PCN administration side.  

We have also lived through another year of a global pandemic, and have enjoyed the comfort and convenience of virtual care provision for our patients.  Our thanks go out to all of you, for continuing to care so well for your patients in these trying times.

Over this past year your Board and key Physician Leaders have continued to have regular meetings with the Health Authority and Ministry of Health, as well as our First Nations partners,  as we focused on the Patient Medical Home/Primary Care Network/Urgent Primary Care Centre planning.  We believe in the mantra “Nothing about us, without us” in this work which we do for you, our members, and for the citizens in our communities.  

To this end, we encourage all Division members to become or remain involved in this important work.  Our mission is not only to provide the best care possible to our patients and communities, but also to improve the lives of our member family practitioners.

Through this next year, the SIDFP will continue to work with you, our members, with our local First Nation and Metis Partners and other Indigenous partner organizations, with other Divisions, with Island Health and the Ministry of Health, to improve primary care coordination across the system, and to streamline patient access to community resources.

In June, the Board and members from our Member Engagement Committee gathered for a strategic planning day to help guide us through the next three years. A strategic plan was created that we feel represents the priorities and vision of the South Island Division, and see it as a road map as we move forward. 

We assure members that the SIDFP will continue to provide a voice at both the provincial and local health tables.  The Board and staff will continue to reach out to you the members, through the bi-weekly e-bulletins and ongoing project and practice level engagements.  We need you, our members, to stay involved or become involved, as your voice will guide how we represent you, and how we serve you.  Please consider joining a working group, coming to a Division event, or joining us at a Board meeting to see what is going on behind the scenes.

We also would like to introduce you to Ms. Leslie Keenan, who will be starting on September 1, as Interim Executive Director, replacing Clay Barber, who is on leave .  Leslie has eight years’ experience as executive director in two other Divisions of Family Practice (North Shore, and Nanaimo), before retiring last year.  We are grateful she has agreed to step into this role for us, and we are excited to have her share her skills and expertise at this time.

 

Dr. Vanessa Young, Dr. Randal Mason & Dr. Kate Elliott

Board Chair, Alternate Chair & Vice Chair