“The  sudden influx of folks  is not  believed to be a reflection on  a shortage of  general  practitioners in Prince George  as recent  data indicates  those  who want a GP  have one,   but there is still  a large number of  residents who have indicated they don’t  want   to have their own  GP”
I say PARDON?? “a large number of residents that don’t want to have a Doctor” I call BS.
I do believe however that there are quite a few of us that don’t run to the doctor for every little thing. So if one of these people show up at the ER it probably is serious, and they can’t wait 2 weeks for an appointment.

So it’s not just in small towns that this happens. i called the local clinic the other day and was told the next appointment available is 3 weeks away. Well in 3 weeks I will probably be ok or dead. Time to privatize health care.

I want and need a GP…how do I get one???

Its full of mental health patients, and junkies getting a quick fix before the weekend. I wish they could find a place for the headcases to goto, besides emerg. Get the drug losers out of there, and the people of this community would be wonderfully served.

Because it would be deemed as a racist comment, I can’t say what I want to say but I also think that if you are an addict or an alcoholic who got drunk for the 5th time this week and you fell on your face and hurt yourself, you are not an emergency.

Exactly- everywhere you go they say- either go to the walk in or EMERGENCY. We are being told to go there by health care professionals !!!!!!!!!!!

This whining from Northern Health is not acceptable. If they are unwilling to open another walk-in clinic in our city, it is a problem of their own creation. Seriously, how about longer/improved hours at the one clinic we even do have? And, the one at Superstore is maxed out by 9-10 in the morning…a hint at the demand maybe? All that money Northern Health pays their executive – go whine at yourselves!!

All I can tell you is that C Clark promised in the last election that we would all have our own GP by now.

There is also a walk-in clinic at Spruceland.

The clinic at Superstore has set limit of 50 patients per day and if more are seen, penalties kick in. I think that is because it is a privately run clinic. It is suggested that you call ahead to see if their quota has already been reached.

I you go to a clinic first, and subsequently have to be sent to the hospital for further testing, etc, the doctor can call ahead and you could be sent to Minor treatment instead of E.R., (although you could wait in Minor Treatment for a while too, but at least you would be out of the general area).

If you truly have a life-threatening emergency, you will have priority.

Our immediate and extended family has had the good fortune of not having to be admitted to the PG Hospital for a few years. This last month 2 family members used this facility, which was really disappointing. One was the birth of a grand son, who’s mother had complications after, so the both of them were detained in the labor room for 60 hrs and the “bloody” room never got cleaned by house keep once.

The second incident involved our 19 yr old grand daughter, who was admitted to hospital for suspected appendicitis. She had tried to visit her family doctor first, but was told he was out of office for 2 weeks.
She was given an MRI and blood test and appendicitis was eliminated. They kept her in the hospital for 6 days, on morphine for pain, waiting for an ultrasound. Try as they might, her resident Dr and the nurses could not get her an appointment anywhere in the hospital or town for this procedure. After much frustration, the Dr finally released her and has finally scheduled her as an out patient for an appointment to get this done on Nov 15th. (2 weeks after being released)

The Northern Health system itself regarding care and concern for patients, (or lack of) is something to be desired. The Nurses were Great! – but could only be as helpful as the system would allow. It’s a crying shame —and we live in Canada?