A new urgent and primary care centre (UPCC) and community health centre (CHC) have been established in Rutland, British Columbia (BC), Canada, to improve access to team-based healthcare.
The UPCC focuses on non-life-threatening conditions requiring attention within 12 to 24 hours, offering services for minor injuries and infections, as well as mental health support.
This centre will launch in a phased approach, expanding operating hours until full operation from 8 December.
The UPCC will be staffed by more than 33 healthcare professionals, including family physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, social workers, physiotherapists, and community health workers.
Interior Health will manage the UPCC in partnership with the Central Okanagan Division of Family Practice and integrate it into the Rutland and Lake Country Primary Care Network.
The CHC has been opened with C$5.5m in funding and targets women's health and underserved populations.
Once fully operational, the CHC will operate from 8:30am to 4:30pm, with extended hours on evenings, weekends, and holidays.
It will be governed and operated by the Okanagan Family Medicine and Community Health Centre Society, with support from Interior Health and the Ministry of Health.
Rutland UPCC is said to be the 31st facility introduced under the government's primary-care strategy while Rutland CHC is the seventh to secure continuous operational funding from the province.
Both centres claim to enhance healthcare access as part of the government's primary-care strategy and BC’s Health Human Resources Strategy.
BC Minister of Health Adrian Dix said: “People living in Rutland and surrounding communities will directly benefit from increased access to health-care services delivered through a new urgent and primary care centre and a new community health centre.
“Integrating physicians, nurses and allied health professionals means patients can receive timely and comprehensive team-based care.
“These two centres are examples of our continued work to increase access to primary care services.”
