An urgent and primary care centre will soon be coming to West Kelowna.
The provincial government announced the news on Tuesday afternoon.
The centre will be located at 2484 Main Street, and will be opening in November.
“The new West Kelowna urgent and primary care centre (UPCC) will offer people comprehensive, team-based health care, closer to home,” said B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix.
It’s estimated that the new care centre will serve an estimated 41,000 people and will see approximately 27,000 patient visits annually. When open, its operating hours will be from 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Dix said care centres have “really proven their worth during the COVID-19 pandemic – they’ve been extraordinarily used in communities around B.C.”
The province says the care centre will provide services to those who need to see a health-care provider but do not require a trip to the emergency department, and that basic laboratory tests will also be available.
It also says general practitioners, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, social workers, physiotherapists and medical office assistants will staff the care centre.
“Opening an urgent and primary care centre will increase the number of doctors, nurse practitioners and support staff in the city of West Kelowna, and we look forward to welcoming them in the weeks ahead,” said mayor Gord Milsom.
“The new facility will support an enhanced provision of service to our community, which has been underserved to date, and will continue to support reconciliation within the region,” said Westbank First Nation Chief Christopher Derickson.
According to officials, this will be the province’s 19th care centre, 17 of which are open, including four in the Interior Health region in Kelowna, Vernon, Kamloops and Castlegar.