Community health centre opens in the Westshore
People living in Colwood, Langford, Highlands and Metchosin now have access to expanded primary care and social supports with the opening of the Westshore Community Health Centre (CHC) on June 1, 2022 in Colwood.
“Access to primary care services is a challenge for people in the Westshore and across British Columbia,” said Premier John Horgan. “With the Westshore Community Health Centre opening its doors, residents will have access to health care closer to home. This is all part of our government’s work to put patients at the centre of care with a modern, team-based primary care system.”
CHCs are community-governed, not-for-profit organizations with services tailored to meet the health needs of the communities they serve. The Westshore CHC is a collaboration between the Ministry of Health and Pacific Centre Family Services Association (PCFSA), Island Health, and the South Island Division of Family Practice. It is part of the Western Communities Primary Care Network and will be operated by PCFSA in partnership with Island Health.
“We’ve listened to people in the Western Communities and we are using our primary care strategy to build on the good work community organizations are already doing in the region,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “The Westshore Community Health Centre will play a vital role to help connect residents who have been struggling to access a family doctor with the health care they need when they need it, closer to home.”
Beginning Wednesday, June 1, 2022, a team of 17.2 full-time equivalent (FTE) health-care providers, including family doctors, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, social worker and community health workers will offer primary care and health-promotion services that are culturally safe and comprehensive to patients attached to the CHC. The team will gradually increase to 19 FTE health-care providers.
The centre will integrate comprehensive services into the Western Communities Primary Care Network for patients with mental-health conditions and substance-use disorders, seniors and patients with complex needs. It will also provide culturally safe care for Indigenous and 2SLGBTQ+ people.
“More people on the Westshore will benefit from greater access to primary care with the opening of this Community Health Centre,” said Mitzi Dean, MLA for Esquimalt-Metchosin and Minister of Children and Family Development. “With health-care providers working together to provide comprehensive and patient-centred services to underserved and specialized populations, this is going to make a real difference for people in our region.”
To support the centre, the Province will provide approximately $4 million in annual operating funding once the centre reaches full capacity and as much as $1.9 million for one-time startup costs.
The Westshore CHC is another addition to the Western Communities Primary Care Network, which also includes the Westshore Urgent and Primary Care Centre.
Westshore CHC supports primary care network planning in Greater Victoria. It is the fifth community health centre in B.C. and the third in Greater Victoria announced as part of the Province’s primary care strategy. Additional centres on the Island include Island Sexual Health and Luther Court.
Quick Facts:
- In order to receive care at the CHC, patients who are eligible need to register through the Health Connect Registry.
- The CHC is located at the Pacific Centre Family Services Association at 324 Goldstream Ave.
- The centre is open Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Learn More:
To learn more about the Province’s primary care strategy, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2018PREM0034-001010
To learn more about Pacific Centre Family Services Association, visit: https://pacificcentrefamilyservices.org/
To learn more about the Westshore CHC, visit: https://pacificcentrefamilyservices.org/westshore-community-health-centre-%E2%80%93-primary-care
To register to the Health Connect Registry, visit: https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-connect-registry#section-options.
Two backgrounders follow.
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