Those living on the Saanich Peninsula who need care when their practitioner’s clinic is closed will now have access to an after-hours primary-care clinic adjacent to Saanich Peninsula Hospital.
The clinic, at the Peninsula Health Unit on Mt. Newton Cross Road in Saanichton, will be staffed with doctors, nurse practitioners, registered nurses and medical office assistants.
Appointments will be available from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday to Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. Phone lines will open for same-day booking at 4:30 p.m. weekdays and at 8:30 a.m. Saturdays.
While there is no walk-in service, the clinic offers same-day appointments whenever possible.
The clinic is aimed at people who need medical care for everything from minor sprains and strains to rashes and ear and bladder infections. Those requiring immediate medical care or experiencing a health crisis, serious illness or emergency should call 911 or proceed to the nearest emergency department.
Registered nurses at the clinic can see patients for pregnancy testing, cervical cancer screening, suture removal, harm-reduction supplies and other services.
Shoreline Medical Society will work with Island Health, the Saanich Peninsula Primary Care Network and the Ministry of Health to establish the clinic.
“We applaud Island Health’s establishment of the new after-hours primary-care clinic that will enable Shoreline to serve Saanich Peninsula Hospital, provide specialized care, and refocus efforts on recruiting new physicians, so that more people on the Saanich Peninsula will have a primary-care practitioner,” said Heather Edward, executive director of Shoreline Medical Society.
To book an appointment, call 250-544-2445.
