A new community health centre on Bowen Island is set to improve access to primary care for residents of the remote community.
The island’s approximately 3,500 residents previously only had access to one family practice with two part-time family doctors, before having to get on a ferry.
Now, Health Minister Adrian Dix says the new Bowen Island Community Health Centre will house two additional family physicians, a nurse practitioner, social workers, a dietician and a physiotherapist.
“People with a family doctor off (the) island will have the option to come back, and be attached to a doctor or nurse practitioner based here. And whether they’re attached or unattached to doctors at the Bowen Island Community Health Centre, people have access to timely, urgent care on a drop-in basis.”
The new centre is set to open on April 29. It’s being funded by a $3.1 million contribution from the province and the $8.6 million fundraised by the Bowen Island Health Centre Foundation.
“The community health centre aims to connect approximately 3,500 patients to a primary care provider over the next two years, making a huge difference for Bowen Island people, families and businesses,” Dix said.