Interior Health clinic in Penticton remains open without funding from RDOS

Photo: Contributed

Questions are still left unanswered on how Penticton’s newest primary care clinic will run, after it was denied $1 million in funding at the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen’s last meeting.

Interior Health opened the new Urgent and Primary Care Clinic on Martin Street in late March after the province announced it earlier in the spring, without any indication that the clinic was still looking for funding.

Some members of the RDOS vocalized their concerns on why IH was coming to them expecting the money after the doors were already open.

Castanet reached out to IH for clarification on how this impacts the future operations of the clinic and plans for funding going forward, in which they respond 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.”

The clinic currently operates seven days a week for mental health and substance abuse services, and six days a week for urgent care visits, with plans to expand those hours when more staff are secured.