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JANUARY 1, 2015
Two Sections, 32 pages
100milefreepress.net
GLIDING INTO THE NEW YEAR
LOOKING BACK ON THE NEWS OF 2014 A3-A5
Alex Mikkelsen photo
NIGHT OF FUN PLANED FOR SOUTH CARIBOO FAMILIES A15
INSIDE
opinion A8 letters A9 entertainment B15 sports A17 community B1 classifieds B3
The voice of the South Cariboo since 1960 How to reach us: Ph: 250-395-2219 Fax: 250-395-3939 www.100milefreepress.net mail@100milefreepress.net
Like most of us in this neck of the woods, the folks at the Spring Lake Ranch and their resident Belgian horses – Ranger and Rooster – are looking for some more snow, so we can enjoy our pristine winter conditions in the Cariboo. Playing in the fresh air and the snow is the perfect way to start 2015. We, at the 100 Mile House Free Press, wish all of our readers a healthy, happy, safe and prosperous new year.
New doctors grace 100 Mile House Carole Rooney
Rural recruiting group attracts medical professionals
Free Press
Two new doctors were warmly welcomed to the 100 Mile House medical-care community in the past year or so. The Central Interior Rural Division of Family Practice (CIRDFP) has been working hard on recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals. CIRDFP executive director Trevor Barnes notes it has successfully enticed two physicians to join the community – both from South Africa since late 2013. One of them is Dr. Michael Mthandazo who joined the Exeter Medical Clinic last spring. (The other name is unavailable, as Barnes was unable to gain permission to publish it.)
Dr. Mthandazo says he is happy How it works to have joined the South Cariboo Barnes explains staff follow-up community as one of its newest on online hits at British Columbia’s physicians, and grateful to the Health Match website that posts people at CIRDFP for their assis- vacancies, and then they contact tance. the doctors in their home “They did help me a lot countries to discuss local when I settled in here. When community attributes, deterI came, the accommodation mine interest in these areas was organized, the rental car and send links to related was organized – they were information. very helpful.” One key role of its onThe CIRDFP is one of the-ground liaison people is TREVOR seven Divisions of Family maintaining e-mail contact BARNES Practice in the Interior with any doctors considering Health region and one of 33 relocating to the region and across the province. answering any questions they can In addition to various roles sup- while persuading and encouraging porting rural health care, such as its them to choose to come to 100 Mile A GP for Me program that recently House or Williams Lake, he adds. ran workshops in 100 Mile House, it Barnes says immigration paperserves an important role in recruit- work and approval sees staff actively ment and retention of medical assisting potential recruits, and once professionals. a physician has successfully immi-
grated, CIRDFP does its “red carpet visits” – meeting them at the airport, helping them and their families get settled, and welcoming them to their new location. This often includes everything from arranging social events and bank appointments to helping them find a suitable residence, school and day care, he adds. “When we are recruiting a physician, we are also recruiting that person’s family, so they come to a new community with all the same concerns as we would have.” Barnes notes doctors with jobs lined up are accepted into Canada on a three-year term. There are requirements they must meet with the College of Physicians and Surgeons and College of Family Physicians, ensuring their practice Continued on A6