B.C. clinic closures leave thousands without family doctor
CTV
Around 3,500 patients in Victoria just got word they'll have to find a new doctor in the new year.
Around 3,500 patients in Victoria just got word they'll have to find a new doctor in the new year.
Shelbourne Medical Clinic sent a letter to its regular patients, advising them that it is closing at the end of March, 2024, because one of the three family doctors at the clinic, Dr. Lorne Verhulst is retiring. The remaining two doctors can't keep the practise running on their own.
Verhulst says at 69 years old, and 45 year into his career, it’s time to retire.
He couldn’t find a replacement willing to take on the gig and says the province should step up and help pay the cost of leasing and running an office like this to make it more attractive for future doctors.
Verhulst feels like the system is letting patients down.
“Imagine you go to the local school and you want to enroll Johnny in Grade 2 and the school says, 'sorry we're not accepting new pupils.’ Well, that’s the situation in medicine, said Verhulst.
The Shelbourne Medical Clinic is not the only doctor's office where patients got bad news in the last few days. A similar letter went out to patients at a doctor's office in White Rock. One of those patients was BC United MLA, Trevor Halford.
