A new family practice has opened in north Nanaimo thanks in part to a new forgivable loan and grant program.

Thrive Family Health, which opened last week, was the first to receive a $30,000 forgivable loan through a partnership between the Nanaimo and District Hospital Foundation and the Nanaimo Division of Family Practice, according to a press release. The program is meant to foster more family practices on the mid- and north Island.

The money was used to purchase an examination table, autoclave machine and other critical equipment at the clinic, which will be used to offer 鈥渇ull-spectrum family medicine services for the community,鈥� the press release stated.

Dr. Shirin Madjzoub and Dr. Diana Ruffell opened the clinic and Madjzoub said the program, along with recent changes to provincial payment models, were of great benefit.

鈥淲ithout this grant program, combined with the longitudinal family physician payment model rolled out last year, this clinic would not have been possible,鈥� Madjzoub said in the press release.

Nanaimo Division of Family Practice hopes the grant program can help remedy the lack of family doctors.

鈥淲e need more family practice offices in Nanaimo and the greater central and north Island communities, and seeing this grant program in practice is an exciting step for us as we aim to support family doctors and remove barriers to help open more practices to meet the growing demand our community has,鈥� said Beccy Robson, Nanaimo Division of Family Practice executive director, in the press release.

Thrive Family Health is not accepting new patients.

Anyone seeking more information about the program is asked to contact the Nanaimo Division of Family Practice through . Those seeking a family physician can go to for more information.

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