Esquimalt urgent and primary care centre opens at permanent location
Esquimalt's urgent and primary care centre (UPCC) opened at its new permanent location on Monday morning, a move that will increase accessibility and operating hours, according to the province.
The UPCC is now located at 890 Esquimalt Rd. and is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
In June, the UPCC opened at a temporary location at the Esquimalt Health Unit at 530 Fraser St. Now, more patients will be able to use the UPCC at its permanent location on Esquimalt Road, which only recently finished construction.
"This is great news for people living in Esquimalt, whose health will be positively impacted from the expanded services and extended hours at the new home for our UPCC," said Mitzi Dean, MLA for Esquimalt-Metchosin in a statement Monday.
UPCCs are intended to treat patients who require care within 12 to 24 hours for injuries like sprains and minor burns or cuts, or for conditions like ear infections or urinary problems that don't require an emergency department.
The urgent and primary care centres will also work to attach residents with family doctors or a nurse practitioner if they do not already have one, once it is fully staffed.
The Esquimalt Primary and Urgent Care Centre is shown: Dec. 6, 2021 (CTV News)
The province says there are approximately 11 full time health-care providers at the UPCC, with plans to add a dozen more staff members, including family physicians, registered nurses, social workers, and mental health and substance use counsellors.
"Not only will residents be able to get timely treatment at the clinic, but now, those who do not have a regular primary care provider can get help securing one," said Dean.
A shortage of family doctors has long plagued British Columbia.
Health care providers say they hope the permanent UPCC space will help fill in gaps for longitudinal primary ace in the South Island.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.