Media Releases

April 22, 2022

During the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada’s (SRPC) annual Rural & Remote Medicine Conference in Ottawa April 21‐23, 2022 the physicians embraced Earth Day with a spectacular plenary session by Dr. Courtney Howard, Past‐President of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE). The session, “A Healthy Response to Climate Change”, spurred the 400 rural physicians and medical learners to take action against what the Lancet has called “the worst global risk to health”. 

Read the full Statement: Canada’s rural physicians unanimously endorse motion asking feds to redirect fuel subsidies to support climate crisis adaptation.

January 19, 2022

Indigenous Peoples' cultural knowledge should be treated with respect, regardful of the diversity of their/our Nations and cultural strengths. However, rural health research publishing is guilty of silencing Indigenous Peoples through discursive practices such as author credentials. Therefore, we - a collaboration of Indigenous and non-Indigenous scholars - declare, 'nothing about Indigenous Peoples, without Indigenous Peoples.

Read the full statement: “Research and reconciliation with Indigenous People in rural health journals.”

October 1, 2021

The Canadian Medical Forum brings together leaders of Canada’s major national medical and health organizations to discuss issues of priority to physicians, their patients, health care workers and the Canadian healthcare system.

As such, we condemn the repeated bullying, attacks, and violence directed at health care workers at the protests outside of numerous hospitals, acute care centres, and healthcare providers’ homes. Canadian health care workers are committed to caring for and treating patients, often under tremendous stress and at risk to their own health. They should not be targeted, traumatized, or harassed as they endeavor to save lives and care for the sick and injured.

The COVID-19 pandemic has killed thousands of Canadians and has brought our health care system to the edge of collapse. We all play a role in reducing the burden on our health care system and saving lives of our fellow Canadians. Getting vaccinated is the best hope we have to move forward.

Read the full statement: Joint statement from the Canadian Medical Forum on bullying, attacks, and violence against health workers

Déclaration commune du Forum médical canadien sur l'intimidation, les attaques et la violence à l'encontre des travailleurs de la santé

September 30, 2021

As members of the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada (SRPC) and its Indigenous Committee, we are profoundly saddened by the discovery of the many unmarked graves containing the remains of Indigenous children at the sites of numerous residential schools across the country. We are reminded that we must all listen and acknowledge the truths of our colonial past and present. The SRPC strongly condemns the systemic racism in policy and decision-making that continues today as a direct result of our country’s colonial history. These policies have caused unquantifiable damage to Indigenous Peoples and continues to reverberate in our day-to-day work as rural and remote physicians. The SRPC believes our duty as healthcare providers is to identify legislation and health policies that lead to racially inequitable outcomes and challenge our current and future governments to move ahead on a path to truth and reconciliation.

Read the full statement : Truth_and_Reconciliation_Statement_FINAL.pdf

September 8, 2021

As we are weeks away from a federal election, the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada (SRPC) calls on all politicians to answer rural and Indigenous populations’ demands to make access to health care a priority for people living in Canada’s rural and remote communities.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed our fragmented, overburdened health care system and its inability to adequately address inequities on access to health care in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities. These communities face unique challenges that must be managed effectively and collaboratively.

SRPC CALLS FOR ALL FEDERAL PARTIES TO ADDRESS INEQUITIES TO ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE IN RURAL CANADA

LA SMRC DEMANDE À TOUS LES PARTIS D’ABORDER LES INIQUITÉS D’ACCÈS AUX SOINS DE SANTÉ EN RÉGION RURALE AU CANADA

September 1, 2021

Workplace violence occurs when a person is physically or verbally abused, threatened, intimidated, harassed or assaulted in her or his employment. In Canada, employees have the right to a safe work environment, and it is the duty of the employer to provide it.  Link to web article.

CAEP position statement on violence in the emergency department

August 17, 2021 

The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) and the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) issued a statement on August 3rd, 2021, calling for mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for all health care workers.  The Society of Rural Physicians of Canada supports this statement.  

SRPC Supports Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccinations for Health Care Workers

February 2021

The Canadian Medical Forum brings together leaders of Canada’s major national medical organizations to discuss issues of priority to physicians, their patients, and the Canadian healthcare system. As such, we are writing today in support of Canada’s COVID-19 immunization program and to encourage Canadians to get vaccinated.

Canadian Medical Forum supports the COVID-19 vaccines authorized in Canada

Le Forum médical canadien accorde son appui aux vaccins contre la COVID-19 autorisés au Canada

For additional information on COVID-19 vaccines, please consult the Public Health Agency of Canada website.

For Immediate Release - January 25, 2021

The Society of Rural Physicians of Canada (SRPC) is concerned and disappointed by the lack of communication regarding the COVID-19 vaccination for long term care and health care workers in rural and remote Canada. Rural communities and the health care workers who serve them have had less access to vaccination compared with their urban colleagues.
 
Statement Regarding Rollout of COVID‐19 Vaccination to Rural Canada

If you would like more information regarding this topic, please contact the SRPC office at 1-877-276-1949 or info@srpc.ca

SRPC releases 5 new Choosing Wisely Canada recommendations with an important focus on virtual care and reducing unnecessary medical travel.  Globally, this is the only known rural-focused Choosing Wisely recommendation list.

September 16, 2020

The Society of Rural Physicians of Canada (SRPC) established its Choosing Wisely Canada top 5 recommendations through collaboration with its internal members and with medical students of the STARS program (Students and Trainees Advocating for Resource Stewardship). The list started with brainstorming overuse topics in rural medicine based on the experiences of rural practitioners across Canada. Over several months the list was refined based on feedback received from SRPC members, a peer-review process, and a review of relevant scholarly research. A preliminary list was shared at the SRPC Annual General Meeting in May 2020, from which a final list was established.    

Five Things Clinicians and Patients Should Question