New Vernon health centre opens

A new drop-in primary health care centre has been opened in Vernon.

Health Minister George Abbott officially opened the centre this week that will provide access to health care for homeless and marginalized people in Vernon.

"The Downtown Primary Care Centre represents the kind of innovative community action we had hoped to stimulate when the Health Innovation Fund was first announced," says Abbott.

He says the $246,900 centre is one of several sub-projects supporting Interior Health's new Integrated Health Networks.

“These health networks have received approximately $3.5 million in start-up funds from the provincial government's Health Innovation Fund. The networks were developed to realign primary health services in the region for improved patient outcomes and reduced congestion in hospital emergency departments, and to better utilize acute care beds.”

The centre, located at the First Nations Friendship Centre, opened its doors last November and provides services five days a week.

Jessie Nyberg of the First Nations Friendship Centre, says they had a vision two years ago to develop a primary care centre that could serve urban Aboriginals, at-risk families and children as well as marginalized individuals in our community, providing a comfortable and accessible place to get care.

“The Downtown Primary Care Centre is staffed by a nurse practitioner and centre co-coordinator. It provides integrated health service in conjunction with its community partners: Interior Health Primary Care, Community Care, Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol Services, Public Health, the First Nations Friendship Centre and the North Okanagan Youth and Family Services Society,” says Nyberg.

A bilateral agreement between the provincial government and Interior Health will ensure that matching funds are available beyond the one- year term of the Health Innovation Fund to provide continuous service until 2010.