Why Access to Primary Care Matters
Everyone in Saanich deserves access to a family doctor or nurse practitioner. A regular primary care provider keeps people healthier, reduces pressure on emergency rooms and urgent care clinics, and helps catch problems early.
There is progress being made. The provincial government has been working hard to attach more people to primary care providers, and these efforts are starting to pay off. But Saanich is still facing a significant gap
Primary Care Snapshot
For the Saanich Peninsula and Oak Bay (numbers courtesy of the Ministry of Health), covering a total population of ~133,929:
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Currently attached to a provider: 98,301
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Seeking attachment (registered on the Health Connect Registry (HCR)): 19,038
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Unattached and not registered on HCR: 22,886
Thousands Unattached
These numbers tell a simple story. Thousands of people in our community still do not have a family doctor or nurse practitioner. Signing up for the Health Connect Registry helps individuals connect to care, and it also gives the province an accurate picture of how many people in Saanich need a doctor.
When more people sign up, the province is encouraged to send more doctors and nurse practitioners to our region. By getting everyone who needs a primary care provider to register, we help our whole community move closer to the care it deserves.
More To Be Done!
Family Doctors for Saanich is also working to support the broader efforts that bring more family doctors and other allied health professionals to the District. This includes promoting local fundraising initiatives that help keep existing clinics open, supporting projects that could lead to new clinics in the future and helping welcome new medical professionals who choose to practice in Saanich.
Volunteers are working closely with community partners, sharing information and mobilizing support for the improvements that will strengthen primary care in our region. By building a network of community engagement, we aim to make Saanich a place where healthcare providers feel valued and supported.