New urgent and primary care centre opens in Richmond (flickr.com)

Media Contacts

Ministry of Health

Communications
250 952-1887 (media line)

Vancouver Coastal Health

Communications
604 202-2012 (media line)

Backgrounders

Richmond City Centre UPCC

The Richmond City Centre UPCC will feature improved access to care through extended weekend and evening hours.

  • The centre will be open seven days a week, 365 days per year, including holidays, once fully operational.
  • Patients can self-refer for their urgent care needs or be referred by community service providers, other health-care professionals and agencies.
  • People can also schedule appointments, but appointments are not required to do so to access services. During busy periods, appointments will be prioritized based on urgency.
  • The UPCC will have an “interpreter on wheels” consisting of an interpreter app on an iPad with amplifier. The app supports many languages with a live interpreter on voice or video. If needed, an in-person interpreter can be requested.
  • Patients requiring laboratory testing and medical imaging can access these services on site.
  • The following chronic conditions are the most prevalent in the Richmond Local Health Area: hypertension; diabetes; osteoporosis; asthma; and ischemic heart disease.
  • Approximately 32.5% of visits to the Richmond General Hospital’s emergency department in 2020-21 were triaged as relatively low acuity. Many of these visits could be dealt with in alternative settings, such as an UPCC.
  • Total capital costs for the UPCC are estimated to be $5.3 million.
  • The UPCC will be approximately 580 square metres (6,324 square feet) and will include reception, consultation room, triage/assessment room and eight exam rooms, along with additional areas to aid with patient flow and treatment.
  • UPCCs are part of a comprehensive provincial strategy to transform B.C.'s health system by bringing together and co-ordinating teams of health-care providers, services and programs to make it easier for people to access care, receive followup care and connect to other services they may need.