Last private walk-in clinic on the West Shore to close as doctor shortage worsens
One of the last remaining medical safety nets for the thousands of patients on the West Shore of Vancouver Island without a family doctor will soon disappear.
On Monday, the Colwood Medical Treatment Centre announced it would shut down its walk-in clinic on April 15.
“Despite ongoing efforts in physician recruitment, we have been unable to sustain the seven-day/week walk-in services that we were proud to offer our patients in the past,” says a post on the clinic's website.
“This is most regrettable and we are sorry to have to make this decision.”
Clinic management says the decision came as one of the facility's doctors has decided to retire in March.
The clinic is the last private walk-in clinic available on the entire West Shore, according to the walk-in clinic tracking website medimaps.ca.
The government-run West Shore Urgent & Primary Care Centre is the last remaining walk-in service in the area. Wait times often stretch beyond two hours to receive care at the facility.
'IVE SEEN PEOPLE DIE'
Dr. Perpetua Nwosu has watched closely as two West Shore walk-in clinics have announced closures in two weeks.
View Royal’s Eagle Creek Medical Clinic announced it would shut down its walk-in clinic in April after the loss of two young family doctors at the practice.
“I don’t want to be a patient in Victoria. This is as a doctor,” said Dr. Nwosu, who runs a family practice on Shelbourne Street.
“I’m upset when I talk about it because I’ve seen people die," Dr. Nwosu said. "Someone has died in my office, and I looked at it, no he shouldn’t have died because he didn’t have continued care.”
The organization Doctors of BC estimates around 100,000 people in the capital region do not have a family doctor.
Dr. Nwosu, who came to Victoria from England, says many talented foreign doctors are not interested in coming because they see the stress and lack of pay B.C. doctors currently face.
She says the entire system, from the fee-for-service model to more prioritization for primary care, needs to be overhauled.
“The structure is broken. Until you fix the structure you aren’t going to get anything. It’s going to get worse and get worse,” Dr. Nwosu said.
Change for doctors, and potentially patients, on Vancouver Island could be on the horizon as the Doctors of BC has started a new round negotiations with the province about pay.
Last updated in 2019, the Physician Master Plan (PMA) is currently being discussed between the B.C. government and doctors.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Demonstrators kicked out of Ontario legislature for disruption after failed keffiyeh vote
A group of demonstrators were kicked out of the legislature after a second NDP motion calling for unanimous consent to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh failed to pass.
RCMP uncovers alleged plot by 2 Montreal men to illegally sell drones, equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Government agrees to US$138.7M settlement over FBI's botching of Larry Nassar assault allegations
The U.S. Justice Department announced a US$138.7 million settlement Tuesday with more than 100 people who accused the FBI of grossly mishandling allegations of sexual assault against Larry Nassar in 2015 and 2016, a critical time gap that allowed the sports doctor to continue to prey on victims before his arrest.
Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
Keeping these exotic pets is 'cruel' and 'dangerous,' Canadian animal advocates say
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
Thieves use stolen forklift to rip cash machine out of U.K. bank
Police in the U.K. are searching for a group of suspects seen on video using a forklift to steal a cash machine from a bank.
'There was a lot of black smoke': Crane operator sounds alarm while trapped during highrise fire in Halifax
A tower crane operator alerted emergency crews after noticing a fire on a construction site in Halifax Tuesday morning.