Clinic Lead Joanna Norman speaking to CFJC crews about the recently secured funding to continue operations at the First Steps Early Pregnancy Triage Clinic. (Image Credit: Adam Donnelly / CFJC Today)

By Dylana Kneeshaw

MATERNITY CARE IN KAMLOOPS

‘Such a relief’; Funding secured, service expanded at First Steps Early Pregnancy Triage Clinic

Apr 9, 2024 | 6:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — The doors are staying open, and maternity care is expanding at the First Steps Early Pregnancy Triage Clinic.

“Last week when I got the news that yes, for sure the funding was coming through, it was just such a relief,” Clinic Lead Joanna Norman told CFJC Tuesday (April 9).

Annual funding from the Ministry of Health and Interior Health came in at the eleventh hour, before the clinic was set to run out of its initial operational grant money at the end of March. Norman says the centre has been filling essential gaps in maternity care.

“We’ve been open 27 weeks, since September, and we’ve seen 410 families for pregnancy care. And that is roughly half a year, so in a full year we expect to see probably around 800 people a year.”

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With the funding confirmation announcement, Interior Health says it will be adding a nurse, a nurse practitioner and a medical office assistant to the existing operations at the clinic. The expansion will also bring the addition of postpartum care, up to six weeks after birth, and health care for expectant parents up to 30 weeks along, instead of stopping at 20 weeks along.

Norman says expanding the clinic’s care services into the third trimester is a needed upgrade.

“Our goal is still to connect families with a delivery provider in the third trimester so that they get a chance to get to know who is going to be delivering them at the hospital,” she said. “But this allows us to just follow people through so that no one goes without care.”

Interior Health’s Executive Director of Clinical Operations in Kamloops, Lisa Zetes-Zanatta, says another reason it was important for the clinic to secure funding for the facility is because a lot of the facility’s clientele are pregnant women without a family doctor.

“And given the challenge we have in attachment to primary care, this is a great first step. But it’s certainly not the only step.”

The funding means Kamloops won’t lose this service. But given the existing strain on all areas of maternity health care, Zetes-Zanatta acknowledges the city is still in need of more care providers.

“I want to thank all of the maternity providers. They’re all working flat-out right now,” adds Zetes-Zanatta. “Thompson Region Family Obstetrics (TRFO) has more patients than they can absorb. Our specialists, obstetrics and gynecologist specialists, have a couple of vacancies that they’re recruiting for which put additional strain and pressure on them. And First Steps has stepped into this service as well for the pre-and postnatal care, but they too will be recruiting.”

Newly pregnant people seeking care are encouraged to call or text the First Steps Clinic at 250-318-3821.