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
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.