BC's Health Minister says changes are being made that will help those who need a family doctor get one, but it's going to take time.

Margaret MacDiarmid says starting april first, the program called "A G-P for Me" will allow patients to consult their doctor over the phone and encourages physicians to take on new patients.

But MacDiarmid says it's not going to change immediately.

She says, "The funding starts April first and the fees will all be available so I think family doctors will start to realize they can have some capacity, but some of the work needs to be done at the division of family practise level."

MacDiarmid says of the 132 million dollars funding for this program only 24 million is new funding.

She says the goal is to have a family doctor for everyone in the province by 2015.