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New primary care centre opens in Chilliwack

CANADA, May 13 - Chief Angie Bailey, Aitchelitz First Nation, Ts’elxwéyeqw Tribe –

“I am grateful that the primary care centre is offering this new site to support health and wellness services within our community.”

Dan Coulter, MLA for Chilliwack –

“It’s great that the centre will promote better access to health care for people in Chilliwack and surrounding areas, including those with complex health-care needs and those who have challenges or face barriers, such as mental health and substance use.”

Kelli Paddon, MLA for Chilliwack-Kent 

“It’s important that over the next four years and across the three primary care networks, approximately 28,250 people who do not have a primary care provider in the region will be attached to one. These networks will also provide team-based and culturally safe care to residents.”

Dr. Victoria Lee, president and CEO, Fraser Health Authority –

“We are pleased to partner with the Chilliwack Division of Family Practice and other community and Indigenous partners to bring more co-ordinated, patient-centred health services closer to home for people living in Chilliwack and our rural and Indigenous communities. By attaching people to consistent care teams, we can help patients and their families manage a range of existing health conditions, avoid unnecessary hospital visits and remain healthy and independent as long as possible.”

Richard Jock, CEO, First Nations Health Authority 

“The First Nations Health Authority is pleased to have partnered on the development and funding of this new primary care centre that offers culturally safe, team-based primary care and wellness programs and supports for regional Indigenous communities, including our urban and away-from-home First Nations population in the Fraser Region. Traditional teachings and traditional healing are a distinct feature of the First-Nations-led primary care initiative. We look forward to an initial total of 15 First-Nations-led projects in partnership with communities and the Ministry of Health across B.C.”

Dr. Dominic Black, Chilliwack Division of Family Practice –

“The Chilliwack Division of Family Practice is excited to partner with Fraser Health in the development of the primary care centre at Evans Road: Momíyelhtelaxwt ‘Helping one another.’ We are honoured to plan this centre on the land of the Stó:lō people, and specifically Athelets (Aitchelitz First Nation). The services are designed to help meet the health-care needs of our communities, across a unique demographic and vast geography including 22 Indigenous communities in the Chilliwack and surrounding area. With the expected recruitment of 39 new clinicians, including several family physicians and nurse practitioners at the centre, we hope to provide improved access to primary care, including increased opportunities for patients to access team-based and integrated care. This new centre will help support our community members, build capacity in our local health-care system and increase access to primary care providers.”

Elizabeth Harris, executive director, Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation –

“Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation works with the community to support the local hospital, facilities and programs run by Fraser Health. Through our generous donors, the foundation was able to provide a gift of $1 million towards the new primary care centre that will help provide those living in Chilliwack and Fraser Health Rural with increased access to care. If you would like to support projects like this in your community, please visit: www.fvhcf.ca.”

Dr. Ramneek Dosanjh, president, Doctors of BC –

“We look forward to the integration of the Chilliwack Primary Care Centre in hopes it will strengthen primary care in the community. Doctors of BC has a strong interest in ensuring people have access to the health-care services they need. We also emphasize the importance of measures that strengthen the long-term relationships between patients and their family doctor. These relationships have been shown to improve health outcomes, help avoid preventable illness and reduce the cost of health care.”

Michael Sandler, CEO, Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of BC 

“Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of BC are 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 opening of another primary care clinic in B.C.”