A West Shore clinic has been drawing online attention to the plight of many Greater Victoria residents without family doctors.
A Facebook post from Friday (May 5) caught the attention of many West Shore residents. The conversation originated with a resident who was unhappy Westshore Urgent Primary Care Centre (WUPCC) was, once again, at full capacity as it opened.
The West Shore clinic had only one doctor working when it opened that day.
In response to the Facebook post, Island Health said people can access same-day services on a walk-in basis seven days a week at the clinic. People attending in person are triaged by a nurse and the most acute illnesses are cared for first. People with less acute medical needs are given a time to return later.
Addressing concerns about the staffing levels at the site, Island Health said “staffing levels at the WUPCC vary day-to-day. Our physician partners adjust their schedules daily to optimize coverage. At times there may be one physician on shift.”
After it was at full capacity for most of the morning on May 5, Island Health said “resources continue to be a challenge for all involved in the delivery of health care. The challenges being experienced here within Island Health are not unique to our health authority or region. They are being experienced throughout the province, country, and beyond.”
If a centre is at capacity, Island Health urged residents to visit others in the region or call 811 for medical advice.
The original Facebook post had more than 100 comments with others sharing similar stories and concerns. One commenter shared a story of her son needing stitches. She took him to urgent care around noon but saw it was at capacity. After waiting for more than nine hours at the ER, they left without being seen. “This is not okay. We need better access,” she wrote.
Some residents did disagree, with one noting she’s never had an issue getting into WUPCC when going in the afternoon.
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