A second urgent and primary care centre will open in Vernon.
“Urgent and primary care centres deliver faster access to care while relieving pressure on our emergency rooms,” Premier David Eby said in a press release.
“With a second centre for Vernon, north Okanagan residents will get better access for cuts, minor infections, sprains and those kinds of medical issues that need a doctor’s attention, but not an emergency room visit.”
The second UPCC in Vernon, which is anticipated to open to patients in fall 2025, will provide urgent primary care seven days a week, including statutory holidays.
“We are committed to meeting the growing health-care needs of communities around B.C.,” Adrian Dix, Minister of Health said in a press release.
“Early in our primary care strategy, we brought a UPCC to Vernon that has provided much-needed health care to people. As the community has grown, we’re now adding a second UPCC to add capacity and ensure people have access to the care they need, close to home.”
The UPCC will provide same-day care for people who need support for their health concerns within 12 to 24 hours, but do not require an emergency department. Conditions such as sprains, cuts, high fevers and minor infections are appropriate for the UPCC.
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The UPCC will be available to people who do not have a primary care provider, as well as people with a provider who are unable to schedule an appointment within 12 to 24 hours.
Once a location is selected, Interior Health will proceed with the request-for-proposal process for construction-management services.
Operated by Interior Health, the new Vernon UPCC will be a collaboration between the Ministry of Health, Interior Health, the North Okanagan Division of Family Practice, Okanagan Indian Band and the Splatsin First Nation.
This UPCC will be part of the Shuswap North Okanagan Primary Care Network. The capital cost of the UPCC is estimated at $4.97 million, and will be shared by the provincial government through Interior Health and the North Okanagan Columbia Shuswap Regional Hospital District.
