The BC Government confirms it's opening a new urgent primary care centre for West Shore communities. It opens on November 5th at 582 Goldstream Ave. at the St. Anthony's Professional Centre.
The centre will have a team of doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners and other health-care professionals, including a mental health and substance use clinician. The clinician will offer same-day services for people living with mild to moderate mental health and/or substance use disorders.
In making the announcement, Premier John Horgan notes almost 1-in-5 residents don't have a family health-care provider.
Horgan says the centre will connect thousands of West Shore residents with primary health-care teams, and is there for same-day care as an alternative to waiting in an emergency room.
BC Health Minister Adrian Dix says the centre's team-based approach will help West Shore families get the care they need to stay healthy, manage their chronic conditions and recover from illness more quickly.
Over time, the urgent care clinic will be able to accommodate 128 unique patient visits per day and up to 40,000 visits a year.
When it opens the Westshore Urgent Primary Care Centre will be the fourth of 10 urgent primary care centres opening around the province by spring 2019, and the first on the Island.