Update from Quadra Island Health Society
An Update from Quadra Island Health Society August 01/26
Two months ago, Quadra residents turned their pockets inside out to help Quadra Island Health Society ensure continuity of care when Dr Steve Hughes retires. Our first goal was to find a doctor through a recruitment agency; if that failed, we were very clear that we were committed to trying to keep the clinic open other ways.
We did get to interview a couple of UK-based doctors but unfortunately neither worked out; one decided to go elsewhere in BC and the other was looking for aspects of life that Quadra could not cater to.
After working with the Victoria-based recruiter for a few months we mutually agreed to end the relationship. He did not believe he would find a match for us and returned our deposit. (We had examined other recruitment firms but chose not to work with them as they stated in initial conversations that they would not be able to find a doctor for Quadra.)
We are still absolutely committed to making sure there is continuity of care on the island and, since we ended the contract with the recruiter, have been working hard on other paths.
These include:
- Using locums. These are doctors who work in various locations, often to fill in when a doctor is on vacation. We have applications in with the rural locum programme. We are also working with Island Health on a group locum plan similar to the service on Cortes where a team of locums rotate into the clinic;
- Establishing a Nurse Practitioner clinic. To have a stand-alone NP clinic we need at least two nurse practitioners. We have been advertising in BC and Alberta for NPs and have been reaching out to NP colleges. Cumberland has a NP clinic and we have been discussing with it best approaches;
- Finding a GP. This is still a key goal and we are working through word of mouth and advertising. We’re trying to glean techniques from those communities who have been successful in finding doctors (and yes, we have been in touch with Tod Maffin who seems to have a golden touch).
People have commented about the fact that Harbourside Medical Clinic has been successful in attracting a foreign -trained doctor. This is through the government’s International Medical Graduate Program and requires a doctor in place to oversee their work.
We know time is short before Dr Hughes departure but we are working hard to keep that continuity of care. The money donated will be used, with the approval of the Quadra Island Foundation to do just that.
Thank you, Quadra!
Thank you, Quadra!
The Quadra Island Health Society surpassed its fundraising goal of $50,000 in just two weeks. That is a mighty achievement and everyone’s generosity should be recognized.
A professional recruiter costs $40,000 and we now have the cash to cover that in addition to overheads (payment to the Quadra Island Foundation), transition (while we hopefully move from one practitioner to another) and of course contingencies (the just in case fund).
We have interviewed some potential doctors and as soon as we have positive news, we will share that.
QIHS also has had interest from some potential nurse practitioners, but Island Health mandates that we need a doctor in the office for a NP to be able to work. This is just one more incentive to get someone in place soon.
While we love Quadra and cannot understand why doctors aren’t hammering on our doors, we are told by Island Health and recruitment firms that few doctors are attracted to rural family practice. New doctors are often looking for support and education with teaching hospitals. Others are looking for work life balance and don’t want to commit to a full-time practice.
And of course we all know the barrier of the cost of housing here. A big thank you to the people who do have properties that they have said they could rent to a doctor for a long or short time. Some municipalities have been able to provide subsidized rent or housing itself; others are recruiting doctors themselves. We are trying to fit in the patchwork.
The reality is that there is a Canada-wide shortage of doctors and Island Health alone has postings for more than 70 doctors.
QIHS is still optimistic we will be able to keep the clinic open after Dr Hughes leaves in September, and we know we have the support of our community behind us.
Appointments June/July
on line booking is temporarily suspended , please call the office instead
there are plenty of free appointments for the next few weeks as we have locum doctors covering
Physician Recruitment Fund Donations
E-transfer to: giving@quadraislandfoundation.ca
In person at Coastal Community Credit Union by directly depositing donations to QIF
Tax Receipts are issued for all donations of $50 or more.
Between May 23rd and 30th all donations will be doubled.
Locum Schedules: June/July
📣 Clinic Scheduling Update
We wanted to share a few important updates regarding practitioner availability and booking options:
• Dr. Colin Appleby will be available approximately 3 days per week. Please note that his appointments are not available for online booking — kindly call the clinic directly to schedule.
• Dr. Steve Hughes will be available for 4 days only in June.
• Dr. Sameen Ahmed will be in clinic from July 6th–10th. Appointments during this time must also be booked by phone.
🚫 Please note: We are not accepting appointment requests via email at this time.
If you have any questions or would like to book, please give us a call — we’re happy to help!
Thank you for your understanding and continued support.
OFFICE CLOSURE: Thursday March 5th
Our office will be closed due to a planned power outage on Thursday March 5th. We are sorry for any inconvenience.
Update Re: Quadra Medical Clinic
The QIHS Board, operators of QI Medical Clinic and Dr Steve Hughes, would like to advise that at this point, after April 01/26. QIMC will remain open 5 days a week, and will be staffed by Dr Hughes and other physicians on a contracted basis for 3 to 5 of those days - details to be worked out.
Other positions at the clinic, the RSW, Eugene, the MH worker and the new RN, Ally, will continue to be scheduled as is normal for them.
The Lab will continue on Wed and Friday, and Foot Care on Mondays booked as usual .
UPDATE for Quadra Island Medical Clinic
January 23 - UPDATE for Quadra Island Medical Clinic
We are aware of how anxious people are about the future of Quadra Island Medical Clinic and wanted to share what we see as good news.
At a meeting with Island Health and Ministry program staff, the Quadra Island Health Society (QIHS) Board received verbal assurances for continued funding for the Quadra Island Medical Clinic (QIMC). This will help cover overhead costs until September 2026.
We are also excited to announce that Dr. Hughes will be continuing on Part time at the clinic. More details to come regarding his schedule.
There is still, of course, the need to recruit another doctor. Acknowledging how challenging this is, Island Health is providing the financial framework for us to hire doctors who can work part-time. This model is used in Cortes to ensure that a physician is available at their clinic at least 3 days a week.
As a result of these two decisions, the potential closure of QIMC has been deferred until the fall of 2026. This extension allows the clinic to remain open with physician coverage several days a week while we continue our recruitment efforts for a permanent full-time physician.
Sincerely,
Quadra Island Health Society for QI Medical Clinic
AGM for QI Health Society
quadraislandhealthsociety2019@gmail.com
Dr. Hughes Holidays in December
Dr. Hughes will be out of the office for the holiday season from December 2nd to Jan 2nd.
During this time we will have Dr. Helene Gousseau in the office to see his patients. If you would like to see Dr. Gousseau please call the office to book her next available appointment. If you would like to see Dr. Hughes when he returns feel free to call our office or book through our online booking system.
Running out of medications and cant get in before you run out? Please call your pharmacy and ask for an emergency supply until you are able to get in to see the doctor.