Four new primary care networks (PCN) are coming to residents living in Victoria, Saanich, and Oak Bay, making it easier for them to access same-day, urgent, non-emergency health care for medical issues varying from minor injuries, mental health, and everyday primary care.
Minister of Health Adrian Dix made the announcement on Wednesday, July 21st.
The urgent and primary care centres will provide primary care to patients who do not have a family doctor or nurse practitioner, and will be open on weekends and after-hours for residents in the Greater Victoria area.
The new facilities will staff up to 96 more full-time health-care providers over a four year span.
PCN’s will include nurse practitioners, nurses, mental health therapists and a comprehensive range of primary-care services from family physicians and registered nurses to clinical pharmacists, Indigenous health providers and allied health professionals such as social workers and mental health clinicians.
The new networks are intended to give better access to healthcare for those with mild to moderate mental health conditions; better coordinated services for families and seniors who are frail and people with complex health issues; more access to comprehensive services for people living in poverty; and will be culturally safe care for Indigenous peoples.
Newly opened downtown Victoria UPCC
A new Urgent Care and Primary Care Centre (UPCC) opened on Monday, July 19th in downtown Victoria at 1107 Pandora Avenue; its current hours are 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Patients will be seen by a team of health-care providers and will be able to self-refer to the UPCC for care.
When fully staffed, those hours will be expanded to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and care will be available seven days a week, including statutory holidays.
To date, 53 PCNs have been established in BC with a staff of 31 family physicians, 91 nurse practitioners, 104 registered nurses and 6 Indigenous Wellness Providers, among others.
 opened on Monday, July 19th in downtown Victoria at 1107 Pandora Avenue.){kind=link}