Prince George, B.C.-  The community of Wells  is  working with Northern Health to  have a  health  clinic and it could happen sooner rather than later.

It’s an  issue the community of  Wells has put  forth  to  Northern Health’s CEO  and  its Board Chair at Northern Local Government Association  gatherings over the past couple of years.

“We have made a commitment to  the community of Wells that as things stabilize in Quesnel  in relation  to primary care recruitment,   that we would  certainly explore that issue” says Northern Health CEO Cathy Ulrich.

The recruitment efforts in Quesnel have  been paying off with eleven  physicians  expected to have moved to the community by the end of this year.  That more than  fills the gaps created with the recent  departure of  four  physicians.  So the time may be  near  for making firm plans for  Wells.

“They  have been very collaborative in Wells to look at what some space, and what some  opportunities might be in that community” says Ulrich.

The good news is, there are  now two nurse practitioners  in Quesnel and one is interested in doing some outreach   service to the community  of Wells.

If  everything falls into place as hoped, Ulrich says  Wells could see  some health  clinic services  “Within this calendar year.”

The details  of how  such a health clinic would operate have yet to be  worked out says Ulrich, it’s not  yet been decided  if  it will be a once a week  service or more than  that “That’s still being worked out  between the interested providers and the community and  certainly looking at what the demand will be  so that when the person  does go to the community, they will be well utilized while  they are there.”