The closure of Vernon鈥檚 last remaining walk-in clinic will see dollars pumped into other areas of local healthcare.
The Sterling Centre clinic had its last day of operation Nov. 15, leaving a void for those seeking healthcare.
Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, says significant investments will be made to help Vernon Jubilee Hospital and community primary care deal with the fallout.
鈥淲hat I鈥檓 focused on is increasing visits to UPCC (Urgent Primary Care Centre), building up the primary care network and providing better care for people in Vernon,鈥� said Dix.
鈥淢y focus is the people of Vernon and their health care.鈥�
The investment decisions, he adds, won鈥檛 just be made by him but by the doctors in the community.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the way we need to do those things, and that doesn鈥檛 mean the doctors will always agree on the priorities but it means they will always be involved.鈥�
That includes the doctors that were from the clinic.
Dix maintains that 鈥渟ignificant offers of every kind鈥� were made to Sterling to keep it open.
鈥淭hey made a decision in spite of that. I鈥檓 dissappointed the clinic chose not to take up those offers.鈥�
But he respects the decision in a primary care system that is publicly funded but often delivered by doctor鈥檚 offices.
鈥淲e鈥檝e very significantly invested in primary care in Vernon and we鈥檙e doing that not with one clinic but with all the community of doctors, divisions and practices, First Nations and others,鈥� said Dix. 鈥淭he lead advocate of that has been our MLA Hardwinder Sandhu.鈥�
The new payment model - the longitudinal family physician payment - has seen 3,900 doctors join since it was rolled out in February 2023.
Dix calls it a 鈥渞evolutionary change led by doctors.鈥�
But with change, he admits there are challenges being faced.
鈥淚ssues at hospital, issues of maternity care, we鈥檙e working through all those issues.鈥�
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