Photo Courtesy: Province of British Columbia, Flickr

By Veronica Beltran

660 full-time equivalent

More jobs coming as new primary care networks introduced across B.C.

Sep 15, 2020 | 1:37 PM

VANCOUVER—Close to 660 full-time equivalent health professionals will be part of 22 primary care networks coming soon throughout the province.

“As part of our primary care strategy, we’re putting networks of health professionals at the centre of our primary care transformation, making life better for everyone in B.C.,” said Adrian Dix, B.C.’s Minister of Health.

“By adding 22 more primary care networks to the 17 already announced, more people will benefit from a seamless patient-centred experience that meets their unique health needs.”—Adrian Dix, B.C. Health Minister

The team of health-care providers will include family physicians, nurse practitioners and health-care professionals, ranging from registered nurses, traditional wellness co-ordinators and cultural safety facilitators to allied health-care professionals, social workers and clinical pharmacists.

Once the primary care networks are fully established government will provide close to $110 million in annual funding. According to the Province the networks will see community partners, local health-care providers and Indigenous partners work alongside each other to ensure patients have access to a full range of team-based primary care services, from maternity to end of life.

Weather Alerts

Freezing rain warning issued for Prince George-area, snowfall warning remains for Williston, Pine Pass

38m ago

Spruce Kings 4 Express 3

Lougheed's buzzer-beater lifts Spruce Kings to fifth consecutive win

54m ago

Cougars 5 Blazers 4 SO

WHL debutant Lewis backstops Cougars to shootout win over Blazers

3h ago

“About 17% of people in British Columbia report not having a primary care provider. This means that these people often have to wait long hours in walk-in clinics or at their local emergency departments to get the care they need. Our primary care strategy and the networks are providing a real solution to people so they can get the care they need, closer to home.”—Adrian Dix, B.C. Health Minister

Additionally the networks have been designed to address primary care priorities of individual communities such as: providing better access to chronic disease and chronic pain management; improving access to mental-health and substance-use services; culturally safe and appropriate care for Indigenous people; helping to co-ordinate services for vulnerable people with complex health issues; and providing comprehensive services for people living in poverty.

The primary care networks will be in Comox, southern Vancouver Island, Cowichan, Oceanside, White Rock/South Surrey, Chilliwack/Fraser rural, Mission, Central Okanagan, Central Interior rural, Kootenay Boundary, East Kootenay and Vancouver.

British Columbia has 39 primary care networks underway, including 12 in Vancouver Coastal, 14 in Fraser Health, five in Island Health, five in Interior Health and one in Northern Health, with more coming.

Photo Courtesy: Province of British Columbia, Flickr.