Prince Rupert Council to chart process of Health Care consultation tonight

Concerns over Health Care in Prince Rupert will be the subject of note for City Council tonight, that as City staff provide from the Notice of Motion from the February 12th session that will chart the path forward for community consultation on Health care.

Earlier this month, we outlined some of the background to that plan from the February 12th session, the initiative led by Councillor Nick Adey who would like to see the city take on a leadership role in the quest for to attract and retain health care professionals in the community.

The motion arrived for Council as some community medical professionals advise their patients of their plans to leave the community over the next few months.

The motion for tonight outlined from the Agenda for the session to start at 7PM

At the February 12th session, Councillor Teri Forster had recommended that Council review a report from the District of Kitimat, which has recently concluded its own review of the health care challenges facing that community.

The report included seven key recommendations for Kitimat officials to consider 

Establish a Health Recruitment Coordinator

Create a Health Recruitment Incentive Program

Establish in collaboration with KHAG, an ongoing multi sector collaborative focused on health care attraction and retention

Develop incentives to encourage the construction of new, or renovation of existing housing stock 

Consider options to incentivize investment in community healthcare infrastructure

Assertively lobby the Ministry of Health and Northern Health to attract internationally educated health care professionals to Kitimat 

The District of Kitimat partner with the UBC, UNBC and Coast Mountain College to expand health care student training spaces in Kitimat and develop access and outreach programs for Kitimat residents to seek health care careers

The Full report which does echo some of the concerns found in Prince Rupert can be reviewed here.

City Council members may also want to reach out to the Burns Lake Village Counci to learn of their recent efforts in doctor recruitment.  

That community recently celebrated the announcement that three new doctors would be relocating to the Lakes District .

That brings the total of doctors to seven for the community of close to 2,000 residents.

With the Motion of notice in front of Council tonight, residents of Prince Rupert should begin to see a  sense of what City Council hopes to achieve from their initiative.

More on tonight's Council session can be reviewed here.

A wider overview of Health Care in Prince Rupert is available here.