Burns Lake has faced a challenge of physician staffing over the past year, resulting in last minute emergency department (ED) service interruptions affecting residents and families across the Lakes District. With just over a third of physician positions filled, the community and existing team of health care providers have been carrying the strain of pressures to find emergency coverage and improve access to primary care.
Fear not - good news is on the horizon!
A turning point in physician recruitment
Northern Health is pleased to share that recruitment efforts in Burns Lake have gained significant momentum. As of December 2025, five full time physicians have been hired, with all five signing letters of offer. Each of these incoming physicians will provide emergency department (ED) coverage, helping to stabilize and strengthen the local ED over the long term.
Three of these physicians - Dr. Ben Bedford, Dr. Harminder Gakhal, and Dr. Konrad Joseph - are completing their medical residencies at UBC/UHNBC. All have expressed enthusiasm about joining the Burns Lake medical community and contributing to patient care in the Lakes District.
Two international physicians will also be coming under the Practice Ready Assessment program, a program that supports internationally trained family physicians with the requirements for licensure in BC. Two associate physicians have also been hired to work alongside our fully licensed physicians in all areas of practice.
If all proceeds as planned, these new physicians will begin arriving as early as Summer 2026, bringing important relief to the current workforce.
Committed local staff working above and beyond
Despite the challenges, Burns Lake’s dedicated health team continues to work tirelessly. Three local physicians are actively covering ED shifts, while also balancing responsibilities in primary care and their private practices. While this doesn’t cover all the shifts, Northern Health is deeply grateful for the commitment of our local physicians, as well as the commitment of nurses, nurse practitioners (NP), laboratory staff, locums, and the administrative teams who continue to support patient care every day.
Over the past year, Burns Lake has also seen a net gain of 11 new non-medical employees, with more on the way. While there are still challenges in filling some roles, such as licensed practical nurse (LPN) positions, ongoing recruitment is showing encouraging results and a new program is now available to support health care assistants’ transition into LPNs – at no cost to them.
Working hard to address the shortage
Northern Health knows how stressful ED service interruptions can be for residents, and we want to assure the community that every effort is being made to strengthen local staffing. This includes:
- Active recruitment of physicians, associate physicians, nurse practitioners, and nursing staff. There is a current job posting for an NP role, to work exclusively in the ED.
- Improved hiring pathways for U.S. and internationally trained practitioners, helping remove barriers and shorten timelines.
- Partnerships with community leaders to attract and retain health professionals in Burns Lake and surrounding areas.
- Ongoing work to secure locum physicians, who currently cover over 50% of ED shifts in Burns Lake.
- Virtual supports allow for patients to be seen by the ED team with the support of virtual physician oversight, helping ensure continuity of care where possible.
While these efforts are helping, the reality is that rural and remote regions across BC are all competing for a limited number of health care providers. Recruitment takes time, and Burns Lake has been affected by several overlapping factors— retirement, maternity leave, and several clinicians relocating to other communities in the North.
Moving forward
While the staffing situation remains challenging, the arrival of five new full-time physicians marks a significant positive shift and a hopeful step forward for Burns Lake.
Recruitment will continue, partnerships will strengthen, and Northern Health will keep working closely with the community to minimize service interruptions and support residents through this transition.
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