News From Nurse Practitioner Erin Van Wieren
Wednesday, July 8, 2026 at 9:06AM July 7, 2026
Hello,
I am writing to share an important update regarding the Thetis Island outreach portion of the Ladysmith Family Practice Clinic.
I will be temporarily leaving my practice on Thetis Island to cover a maternity leave in the Ladysmith Family Practice Clinic. This temporary leave is anticipated to last for 18 months.
Thetis Island is such a lovely community, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the warm welcome that I have received over the past 3.5 years. This was a hard decision, but working in a larger clinic will allow me to advance my practice by working closely with other NPs and GPs in a more direct and collaborative way.
After a recruitment campaign, a new NP was hired on a temporary contract to fill the Thetis Island portion of my position. The new NP, Hayley Mercer, started with Island Health on July 6th. I will personally be transitioning Hayley to the Thetis Island Clinic over the summer months to ensure that there is as little disruption to your health care as possible. We do not anticipate that this will impact the clinic schedule or your regular access to care.
Standing or annual lab requisitions ordered by myself will still be valid. Prescription refills will also remain valid. Testing such as MRIs, CTs, ultrasounds and X-rays will remain active.
You can continue to reach out to Kari, MOA, at 250-739-5700 x54814 as the main contact for the Thetis Island Clinic.
If you do not wish to temporarily be attached to the new provider, you may choose to un-attach from the Thetis Island Clinic and register for a new provider through the Health Connect Registry | HealthLink BC. If you do not have access to a computer, you can call 8-1-1, or if you are deaf or hard of hearing, please call 7-1-1. Please notify the office if you choose to leave the practice and you will be provided with instructions to transfer your records.
Cowichan Valley - Cowichan Valley HealthLink BC
If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact the PCN Director, Carla Bortoletto at Carla.Bortoletto@islandhealth.ca.
Best Wishes,
Erin Van Wieren, NP