Penticton urgent care centre won’t close despite $1M funding shortfall: Interior Health

A refusal by the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen's hospital board of directors to provide one-time funding of $1 million to Penticton’s newly opened Urgent and Primary Care Centre will not affect its operation, Interior Health says.

The regional hospital board turned down a request by Interior Health executive director Carl Meadows at the April 15 hospital board meeting for $1 million for leasehold improvement costs to operate the facility, which opened on March 31.

Board directors weren’t pleased by what was perceived as a lack of communication between the provincial health ministry and the regional hospital board, noting the request was being made two weeks after the centre had already opened its doors.

The board did agree to apply for hospital status for the new centre.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Health deferred to Interior Health when asked earlier this week what next steps might be taken regarding the funding shortfall for the centre.

Interior Health later responded with the following statement: “The urgent and primary care centre is an important community resource. It is open and will remain open to support people throughout the region now and for many years to come.”

Penticton’s urgent primary care centre is a new service designed to help those without a doctor connect with one, in addition to providing care for urgent health needs that don’t require a visit to a hospital emergency room.

The service also provides long-term primary care for people with mental health and substance abuse needs, as well as women’s health.

Plans are for the care centre to operate seven days a week, 24 hours a day.


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Steve Arstad

I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.

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