STEPS to cease operations at Sun Peaks Health Centre in October

“We felt that long-term health of the clinic would best be served if we looked in a different direction. This is by no means a planned closure of the clinic. It’s exactly the opposite of what we’re focused on getting to.”

STEPS began operating in Sun Peaks in 2023, and Colin O’Leary, the president of the board, said they’ve fulfilled all of the commitments outlined in the agreement with the Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality (SPMRM) and the Sun Peaks Health Association.

He also said its “hard to speak” to the decision made by Sun Peaks Council, but told CFJC that STEPS has provided longitudinal primary medical service to all attached patients in Sun Peaks, some of whom live in Kamloops.

“[We also] provided the operational infrastructure such as staffing, medical supplies and clinical operations,” O’Leary said. “We were also able to provide urgent care and emergency care as well as allied and specialist healthcare services as capacity and grant funding enabled us.”

“Having that opportunity to have that impact in the community is what we care about and we want nothing but the best for the Sun Peaks community going forward.”

O’Leary also said STEPS has been working closely with Sun Peaks council and that they plan to continue doing that until October.

“Working with the municipality we were able to get this longer transition period and we’re working diligently to make this transition as smooth as possible and to do whatever we can to support the municipality with their decision on this,” O’Leary added.

“As for their decision on what to do going forward, that is entirely up to them and the community.”

O’Toole told CFJC that while SPMRM operated the clinic for the first few years it was open, it had always planned to bring in a third-party to operate the facility at 3115 Creekside Way.

“We’re thankful for the work that STEPS did and when they stepped in and filled the gap for us that we were struggling to fill but we think going forward there is a better direction,” O’Toole said.

Community concerns around clinic operations

The decision to end STEPS’ lease comes after O’Toole said in a recent statement that Sun Peaks community members had expressed concerns about the operations at the clinic and, more recently about Dr. Catherine Nowierski’s resignation.

The other doctor – Dr. Signy Frank – is currently weighing her options, though she is not accepting any new patients during this transition period.

“For privacy reasons, we are unable to comment specifically about the internal staffing matters with STEPS,” O’Toole said, in a July 22 statement. “We do own the clinic and, as such, play a role as a partner in seeing our community has continuing healthcare services.”

O’Toole told CFJC that in addition to trying to restore service five days a week, the operational changes were made keeping staff at the clinic in mind.

“These are our friends, these are our neighbours, and many were there at the clinic when STEPS took over,” he said. “We are hoping to retain all of those staff – including the doctors. If there are gaps, we’ll make plans to fill those gaps as they come up.”

O’Toole says a new Working Group has been tasked with providing recommendations on the healthcare needs in Sun Peaks which will be used to find a new operator for the clinic through a Request for Proposals (RFP) process.

“Our goal is to do anything to limit the negative impacts and anything that will help us transition as smoothly and as stress free as possible to ensure that there are no gaps or very little gaps in healthcare provision over that period in the fall,” O’Toole said.

“It’s a pretty right turnaround and we know that.”

STEPS said updates will be sent directly to patients as those details are confirmed over the course of this transition period.

“We understand the concerns and the disruption that this has, and so patients of Dr. Nowierski should reach out directly to her,” O’Leary said. “Dr. Frank will also community her plans directly to her patients and any other inquires about the plans for the Sun Peaks Health Centre should be directed to the Mayor.”

O’Toole added that he understands there are people who are concerned about the changes at a time when many in the Kamloops area are without a family doctor. But he’s also confident that Sun Peaks will emerge with a “strong health and wellness model.”

“I think that Dr. Frank is definitely exploring her options and I have not closed the door on Dr. Nowierski working and being a part of this community,” O’Toole said. “I don’t think its a slam dunk that just because she resigned from the STEPS model that that means she is not going to necessarily be here.”

“I also think there is the opportunity to also recruit other people even though its not an easy feat. But on the flip side, Sun Peaks is a pretty attractive place for people to want to live and work and its up to us to make sure that people understand that.”

Unlike Kamloops, Sun Peaks isn’t actively looking to operate the clinic as a municipality as its “not the preferred situation.”

“Our preference would be to have a third-party to take that on and we would provide support but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” O’Toole said, noting more information on what the changes mean is expected to come at the next Sun Peaks council meeting on Aug. 5.

“If we don’t get requests or expressions of interest, we’ll take a look and see what that means and what are alternatives are at that point.”

by Victor Kaisar

STEPS to cease operations at Sun Peaks Health Centre in October

Community concerns around clinic operations

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