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Urgent and primary care centre coming to Westside

The facility is anticipated to open in November 2020, serving Westbank First Nation, West Kelowna, Peachland
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Health Minister Adrian Dix looks on during a press conference in the rotunda at Legislature in Victoria, B.C., on Wednesday May 6, 2020. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)

Westside communities will soon have increased access to health care as a new urgent and primary care centre (UPCC) opens in November.

The new facility, located at 2484 Main Street in Westbank, will serve an estimated 41,000 people living in Westbank First Nation, the City of West Kelowna and the District of Peachland.

“The new West Kelowna UPCC will offer people comprehensive, team-based health care, closer to home,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “With the support of local physicians, our primary care strategy is leveraging community collaboration to strengthen primary care services throughout the province.”

The healthcare team is anticipated to include general practitioners, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, social workers, physiotherapists and medical office assistants and will provide care for more than 27,000 patient visits annually.

The West Kelowna UPCC will deliver urgent and primary care services to people who need to see a health-care provider, but do not require a trip to the emergency department. Basic laboratory tests will also be available.

“The UPCC continues to remain an important fixture in supporting the various medical needs of our members and residents,” said Chief Christopher Derickson, Westbank First Nation. “The new facility will support an enhanced provision of service to our community, which has been underserved to date, and will continue to support reconciliation within the region.”

When the centre opens this fall, it will operate between 11:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m., seven days a week.

This is the 19th UPCC that has been announced under the government’s primary care strategy, 17 of which are open. Of those, five centres are in the Interior Health region, including in Vernon, Kamloops, Kelowna, Castlegar and West Kelowna.

READ MORE: West Kelowna won’t get an urgent care centre says health minister

READ MORE: Urgent and primary care centre officially opens in Kelowna

Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com


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