Two new family doctors will be making their way to Barriere within the next 18 months.

Mayor Ward Stamer says there hasn’t been a walk-in clinic in Barriere for over a year now, with only one family doctor with locums filling the remaining spots currently.

“The only reason we can’t do walk-ins right now is it’s just too much of a workload for the physician and the locums.”

However, Stamer says there is good news coming for the doctor scene, noting one family physician is set to practice in Barrier by this upcoming spring, with the other coming by September 2024.

“In our situation, it all started with Dr. Claire and the South African connection because that’s where he’s originally from. Dr. Marais, who’s our only physician is from South Africa and all indications are that the two new doctors are coming from South Africa as well,” he said.

“That’s made a big difference in their recruiting efforts being able to encourage people from back home to come over here and practice.”

It comes after a service review meeting with Interior Health Officials and the Mayor and CAO of Barriere, who have said there will be Primary Care Plus services, meaning there will be some same-day services for residents within 18 months, but no emergency care.

As for the living situation, once the pair of doctors arrive, Stamer says it’s hard to say whether they will be living in Kamloops or Barriere.

“Dr. Claire, Terry Claire, who was our doctor for many years, moved to Kamloops I think around grade four or five with their oldest just because they wanted a little bit of different opportunities for for schooling, so he was still commuting,” said Stamer.

“He (Dr.Claire) had an apartment that he still has in the Barriere and it wasn’t a hindrance whatsoever if they had to live in Kamloops.”

The biggest change Interior Health told Stamer, is that the Emergency Room in Barriere will act as a primary care centre rather than for emergency care.

“Because of our proximity to Kamloops, we really don’t want to have patients waiting any length of time between the ambulance care to the health center to Kamloops,” he said.

“We want them to come straight to Kamloops if they are having a heart attack, having any critical care issues; there is there’s no reason why we’d want you to stop and Barriere in the first place.”

Stamer says they are looking at continuing to have x-rays, bloodwork, and the ability to do casts. Meanwhile, IH officials are looking for another Nurse Practitioner for Barriere.