The Gabriola Medical Clinic is welcoming two new family doctors
We are happy to welcome two new family doctors this fall. This will bring our team to four physicians and a nurse practitioner, improving access to primary care for our community.
More people will be able to get regular care
About one in three people on Gabriola does not have a regular primary care practitioner. These new doctors will help more people get ongoing care.
New doctors will begin accepting patients in fall 2026
Patient intake will happen step by step over several months.
This is because:
- Patient records need to be transferred
- Other work happens behind the scenes
Patients will be selected based on:
- Medical need
- How long they have been on the wait list
You must be on the Health Connect Registry to become a patient
Please do not call the Clinic.
The Clinic uses the provincial wait list (Health Connect Registry) to attach patients.
You can join the wait list online or by phone
- Call 8-1-1 if you need help or to update your information
All full-time residents in the Gabriola area can join the wait list.
Patients are attached gradually to support safe, quality care
Not everyone can be attached right away.
Doctors need time to:
- Get to know their patients
- Review medical history
- Provide safe, high-quality care
It also takes time to transfer records.
The goal is to attach everyone on the wait list
The Clinic plans to attach all patients on the wait list over the next several months.
You can stay with your current doctor and still join the wait list
If you see a doctor in another community, you can remain their patient.
Your current doctor will not be notified if you register.
You should confirm you are on the wait list and update your contact information
Call 8-1-1 to check your registration.
Make sure your phone number is up to date.
The timing of a call from the Clinic depends on your needs and wait time
How soon you hear from the Clinic depends on:
- Your health needs
- How long you have been on the wait list
Attaching patients takes time to ensure a smooth transition.
The Clinic will contact you by phone with next steps
The Clinic will call you to:
- Confirm you are attached to a practitioner
- Explain next steps
- Book your first appointment
Make sure your phone number is current on the Health Connect Registry.
You can still get care if you need it now
- Emergency: call 9-1-1
- Urgent care: call the Clinic when it opens in the morning
Staff will try to book you as soon as possible.
After you are attached to a practitioner, you can choose between booked or same-day care
- Book ahead to see your regular practitioner (wait times may be 2–4 weeks)
- Call in the morning for a same-day appointment with the first available doctor or nurse practitioner
Current patients will continue to receive care as usual
If you already have a practitioner at the Clinic, your care will not change.
New doctors will strengthen services for everyone.
Emergency care is available on Gabriola for visitors and residents
In an emergency, call 9-1-1.
Gabriola has:
- A 24/7 ambulance station
- Trained Emergency Medical Responders
- AEDs in public locations
The Clinic provides urgent care for visitors
The Clinic is not a walk-in clinic. However, it will see visitors with urgent medical needs.
If you have an emergency call 9-1-1.
The Clinic and Foundation continue to recruit and support practitioners
Changes in staff can happen in any workplace.
The Clinic and the Foundation:
- Recruit and retain practitioners
- Support housing and other needs
- Train future doctors
The Clinic is also a teaching site for family medicine residents.
Long-term recruitment efforts made these new doctors possible
The Clinic and the Foundation have worked for years to recruit and support doctors.
Planning for future growth is ongoing
This is an important step, and work will continue to meet future health-care needs.
The Foundation is seeking new Board members
The Gabriola Health Care Foundation supports access to primary health care on Gabriola.
We own and operate the Gabriola Community Health Centre and support improvements to care in BC.
This is an opportunity to support health care in our community
We are looking for people to join our Board of Directors.
Board members help guide our work and support the future of health care on Gabriola.
We are looking for people with experience in:
- Primary health care and health system transformation in BC
- Governance and strategic planning
- Recruitment and retention of health professionals
- Fundraising and community engagement
Contact us to learn more or apply
To learn more or request an application form, please contact:
Dyan Dunsmoor-Farley at dyan@ghcf.ca
This is positive progress and will take time
This is great news for the community.
We are making steady progress and will keep you informed. Thank you for your patience as we work to improve care for everyone.
Thank you to our Health Care Foundation and everyone involved in recruiting two new doctors. This is fantastic news and we are all so grateful for your hard work.
Congratulations and so many thanks.
Thank you for your ongoing, unflagging efforts to recruit new practitioners! My husband was Dr. Mackenzie’s patient and for some years had no doctor. Our daughter-in- law got him in with her doctor in Burnaby which is lovely but rather inconvenient! We look forward with anticipation to him having a Doctor at this clinic.
What reassuring news!!!
Sincerely, Martie Robinson
when will we learn something about these 2 new doctors – who they are, how did they choose Gabriola, family, interests etc.
Hi Judith, It’ll take time for the doctors to settle in, of course. Once that is done, they may choose to introduce themselves and share more about their backgrounds and what brought them to Gabriola. If they do, that information will be available through the Foundation website and newsletter.
This is fantastic news! Thank you to everyone who helped make this happen. It’s wonderful that the island residents can now have local care. There are so many who have been struggling. This is monumental! Again thank you!