Vernon-Monashee MLA Harwinder Sandhu, Premier David Eby (Image Credit: Flickr / Province of B.C.)
'Better Access to Services'

More primary healthcare services pledged for Shuswap, North Okanagan

Feb 2, 2024 | 3:22 PM

VERNON, B.C. — B.C.’s premier says residents in the North Okanagan and Shuswap will have improved access to care through a new primary-care network (PCN) which will add nearly 75 health-care providers to the region.

“I know many people are worried about access to family doctors,” David Eby said during a stop in Vernon Friday. “The work we are doing in Vernon and the broader North Okanagan and Shuswap region to hire dozens of primary health-care providers will mean more people will get better access to the services they need.”

The PCN will include nearly 75 new full-time health-care provider positions when fully operational and attach approximately 22,500 people to a health-care provider over the next four years.

“We know people in the North Okanagan Shuswap area need increased access to primary health-care services,” Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, said. “By investing in the development of a new primary-care network in Vernon and adding more health-care professionals in the community, we are demonstrating our commitment to connecting more people to health-care services.”

The health-care providers include family doctors, nurse practitioners and registered nurses, as well as allied health professionals, such as clinical pharmacists and social workers, and dedicated resources for Indigenous patients.

“I hear from people in the region about the need to take more action to help people access health care,” said Harwinder Sandhu, MLA for Vernon-Monashee and Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors’ Services. “This new primary-care network is great news for our communities. It will help provide better access to care and I look forward to having more health-care workers supporting people in the region.”

Dix said the PCN will strengthen team-based care and improve access and attachment to primary-care services, including through virtual health services, a teaching network and extended operating hours for North Okanagan communities.

In addition, a team of primary-care and allied health professionals will be recruited to support Indigenous health needs, providing more coordinated and culturally safe primary-care services for Indigenous people in the area.

“For people and families, it means extended access to health-care services during evenings and weekends, and being connected to appropriate services and supports in the community,” Dix said.

Once fully implemented, the Ministry of Health will provide about $12.8 million annually for the PCN. In addition, one-time funding of $1.8 million is also being provided, which includes funding to support the transition of services to a team-based model of care, recruitment and training for providers, and patient engagement, among other things.