People living in Abbotsford will soon have better access to team-based urgent and primary care with the opening of the city’s first urgent and primary care centre. 

“The urgent and primary care centre is a real solution that will improve access to care to the approximately 30,000 people in Abbotsford who do not have a primary-care provider. They will benefit from increased access to same-day appointments and better access to regular, ongoing care,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “By connecting residents with a team of health-care providers, we are making sure British Columbians continue to receive the comprehensive health care they need, when they it need.”

The centre will be operated by Fraser Health and is located at unit 100 - 2692 Clearbrook Rd. Expected to open in April 2020, it will support regular, ongoing health care for people who do not have a primary-care provider and urgently needed primary-care services, particularly during evenings and weekends when care is difficult to find outside of the emergency department.

“Comprehensive care is a much-needed service that connects patients with a team of health-care professionals, making sure their primary-care needs are met,” Bob D’Eith, MLA for Maple Ridge-Mission. “I am proud that our government is taking action that is making a big difference in the lives of people throughout B.C., including in Abbotsford.”

The urgent and primary care centre in Abbotsford is expected to recruit a team of health-care workers, including general practitioners, nurse practitioners and registered nurses. The team will provide comprehensive primary-care services seven days a week and on evenings. 

“The new Abbotsford Urgent and Primary Care Centre is one way we are investing in public health-care services to provide care to people in this community,” said Manpreet Grewal, board member at Fraser Health. “Not only will the new centre provide much-needed comprehensive and team-based health-care services, it will mean people of Abbotsford who are without a family doctor will now have the opportunity of ongoing care by a team of health professionals, including doctors.”

The centre was co-designed in partnership with the Abbotsford Division of Family Practice, local patients, UBC Family Practice residents and Fraser Health.

This is the 15th urgent and primary care centre announced under government’s primary-care strategy and the fourth in the Fraser Health region, following North Surrey, Burnaby and Ridge Meadows.

Quotes:

Dr. Kathleen Ross, president, Doctors of BC –

“We look forward to the opening of the new urgent and primary care centre to provide Abbotsford residents with more timely access to health-care services, while supporting those important long-term relationships and continuity of care that result in better health outcomes for patients.”

Dr. Caroline Cook, board chair, Abbotsford Division of Family Practice –

“The Abbotsford Division of Family Practice values its participation in the co-design of Abbotsford's urgent and primary care centre. We are proud of our patient partners and UBC Family Practice residents who have contributed to its development, ensuring that the urgent and primary care centre meets the needs of the community and those who are beginning their practice as family physicians.”

Jacqollyne Keath, board chair, Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of BC –

“The Association of Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of B.C. is pleased to see that the knowledge, skills and expertise of the entire health-care team will be utilized to improve access to health care for all British Columbians through urgent and primary care clinics. We believe that this approach will be pivotal in ensuring B.C. families can access health-care services, and we are excited to see the launch of another urgent and primary care clinic in B.C."

Quick Facts:

• Primary care is the day-to-day health care given by a health-care provider.
• Urgent primary care is the care that people need within 12 to 24 hours for conditions such as sprains, urinary problems, ear infections, minor cuts or burns.
• Urgent and primary care centres are part of a comprehensive strategy to transform B.C.’s health system by bringing together and co-ordinating with health-care providers, services and programs to make it easier for people to access care, receive follow-up and connect to other services they may need.
• The primary-care strategy will see government fund and recruit 200 family doctors and 200 nurse practitioners, and hire 50 clinical pharmacists, to help provide all British Columbians with faster and improved access to health care.

Learn More:

To learn more about the Province’s Primary Health-care Strategy, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2018PREM0034-001010

To learn more about the Province’s strategy to increase the number of nurse practitioners, visit:  https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2018HLTH0034-000995

To learn more about the Province’s strategy to recruit and retain more family medicine graduates, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2018HLTH0052-001043