Mr Donald Gregory Dines, 1957–2017

Mr Donald Gregory Dines (Greg), executive director of the North Shore Division of Family Practice, died on 1 August 2017 while on vacation with his wife and son, a sudden and tragic death.

Mr Dines served Doctors of BC for more than a decade, first as senior policy analyst in the Department of Professional Relations, and then as director of the new Department of Practice Support and Quality. As such he was a vital contributor to GPSC, Shared Care, Practice Support, and the development of Divisions of Family Practice. All of the foregoing re-established BC doctors at the centre of patient care, in concert with the Ministry of Health, health authorities, our clinical colleagues, and most importantly with patients.

Greg was a great friend of ours, and of many. He was also a friend who was great in many ways. He was an extreme athlete who survived Death Valley races, he was a skilled sommelier—thus making many lifelong friends and ensuring a sense of fun at the events we shared with a multitude of collaborators. He was highly competent and effective, yet managed to maintain modesty even when in his Maserati. He helped to change health care from a battlefield to one of collaboration based on shared values and patient centricity.

Greg was a very kind man and a superb mentor to the sizable number of staff who reported to him. After leaving Doctors of BC he carried on his dream of providing to physicians their own dream of fulfillment within the profession, humane circumstances to deliver quality care to patients, and fair and meaningful remuneration.

Greg, in his final iteration, was executive director of the North Shore Division of Family Practice. In this role he advocated for family physicians on the North Shore, and through his many and vast connections, family physicians throughout BC were better for his being there. Greg had a strong commitment to physicians. He was keenly aware that we are not trained to be the administrators. He considered it his job to make others look good. He did that in spades! He was a big-picture thinker, working hard and collaboratively for health care reform. The theme of collaboration was one that he embraced over his career and most definitely at the North Shore Division. Greg had a great knack for bringing the best out in co-workers. His quiet and persistent approach brought us all to a level beyond our expectations. Greg was a huge part of the accomplishments of the North Shore Division of Family Practice. He left us at a time of great professional satisfaction. We will miss his leadership.

His passing is a big loss to all of us, to the province of BC, and above all to his wife, Holly, and to his children.

All of us who knew Greg were indeed fortunate.
—Dan McCarthy, MD
Former Executive Director, Practice Support and Quality
—Ruth Campling, MD
Chair, North Shore Division of Family Practice