Interior Health(IH) claims its recruitment efforts for new doctors in Williams Lake are showing progress.
Karen Cooper, Executive Director of Clinical Operations at the Health Authority, said in Tuesday, Nov. 4, night’s council meeting that the physician vacancy at Cariboo Memorial is lower than when she first took over in 2021.
“Our current vacancy for Williams Lake as a whole is 14.9 per cent,” Cooper said. “How that compares to IH, it is still higher, but I feel very relieved to be able to say that 85 per cent of our lines are filled.”
During IH’s presentation to Council, Cooper said that over the last few years, IH has seen a steady level of Net Inflow (Inflow), new hires, compared to its Net Outflow (Outflow), employees leaving.
In 2024, Interior Health in Williams Lake brought in 121 employees as Inflow, compared to 64 as Outflow. In 2025, the numbers dropped to 99 Inflow and 73 Outflow. For 2026’s first quarterly update, IH predicts that right now they could see 45 Inflow and 33 Outflow.
Cooper said that Outflow also includes permanent employees who have moved their employment status down to casual, but still may be picking up shifts.
“We’re steadily having more Inflow than Outflow,” says Cooper. “Despite the numbers dropping, that is also due to our numbers and percentages of vacancies dropping per year as well.”
Where IH still remains the most challenged in finding and maintaining new hires, is nurses in the Emergency Department in Williams Lake.
Considered the “hottest ticket” for nurses, Cooper said there is not as much movement in that department, while there are still lots of choices for nurses outside of the ER. Although, Cooper says, IH has seen progress with its programs that expand and bring in nurses from around the world.
“We’ve been augmenting our vacant nursing lines using a program called Goal Health, which is a travel nursing program. We’ve been making good use of that program which is why you’ve [Council] seen our service interruptions all but cease.”
The new expansion at Cariboo Memorial Hospital, now opening in the first quarter of 2027 after a 59-day delay, will also bolster health care workers and IH’s lines. Cooper reports the new expansion will bring 61 new full-time employees to Cariboo Memorial.
The new employees will not be the only thing bolstered with the new expansion. Cooper said there will also be 71 new parking spaces added when the expansion is complete.
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