Esquimalt should be the next municipality considered for an urgent primary care facility, says Mayor Barb Desjardins.
After the December closure of the Esquimalt Treatment Centre, the Township has only one walk-in clinic to serve more than 17,000 people.
B次元官网网址淢any people are scrambling to find other doctors, but there arenB次元官网网址檛 any available. All the clinics are full,B次元官网网址� Desjardins said. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a very large population of people who are not B次元官网网址榓ttachedB次元官网网址� to a family doctor, and many are using the hospital emergency for their health care, so thatB次元官网网址檚 extra pressure there.B次元官网网址�
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The only walk-in clinic in the area is the Esquimalt Medical Clinic, which shows its wait time at maximum capacity by 10 a.m.
| The online tool Medimap, which shows walk-in clinic wait times, shows Esquimalt's only walk-in clinic at full capacity (Medimap) |
The nearest alternatives would either be in James Bay or Langford, after clinics in Vic West and View Royal closed down in recent years.
B次元官网网址淥ver time weB次元官网网址檝e seen this loss,B次元官网网址� Desjardins said, B次元官网网址淭he challenge now is to find short-term and long-term solutions.B次元官网网址�
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Desjardins spoke with MLA Mitzi Dean on Friday morning asking to arrange a meeting with Health Minister Adrian Dix about looking at options.
Desjardins said what Esquimalt needs is incentive for general practitioners and nurse practitioners to come to the area, and longer operating hours.
B次元官网网址淭here is no health care available between 4 p.m. and 8:30 a.m.,B次元官网网址� Desjardins aid. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 more time without doctors than with doctors.B次元官网网址�
For long-term planning, Desjardins believes the community should be considered for one of the provinceB次元官网网址檚 new urgent primary care facilities.
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In May 2018 the province announced that 200 physicians and nurse practitioners would be hired to work within 15 new, multi-faceted primary care centers, several community health centres and 10 urgent primary care centres, one of which recently opened in West Shore.
The urgent primary care centres would provide services to patients without family doctors and have extended evening and weekend hours.
While nothing is set yet, Desjardins is hopeful that the province will understand the urgency.
B次元官网网址淭he pressure on the rest of the system is tremendous,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲e need help.B次元官网网址�
| The online tool Medimap, which shows walk-in clinic wait times, shows Esquimalt's only walk-in clinic at full capacity (Medimap) |
