Q. Why are we considering a new model for healthcare on the Discovery Islands Region?

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A. Recruitment and retention of primary care providers is a challenge throughout our health system.  Many island residents do not have a primary care provider and access to primary care is often limited to off-island urgent care visits.  This is likely to continue unless we look at alternatives in the way primary care is managed and delivered.

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A. Community Health Centre model can increase attachment to longitudinal primary care and support the sustainability, coordination, and administration of existing primary care options so that community members can access appropriate primary care.

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Q. What is a Community Health Centre?

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A. Community Health Centres (CHCs) are created by not-for-profit organizations to provide comprehensive, accessible, affordable, and culturally appropriate primary care services through a collaborative team approach.  A CHC is governed by community members through a registered society and focused on community priorities. 

 

Q. What services will the new Community Health Centre (CHC) offer?

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A. Focus will be on stabilizing current primary care services across the communities. The goal is to provide services and supports based on the unique needs of our communities and improve the health and well-being of our residents.

 

Q. Where will the Community Health Centre be located?

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A. The submitted plan will focus on coordinating current services at existing sites and adding more service providers, rather than building a new facility. It will be managed by an Executive Director reporting to a volunteer non-profit Board of Directors representing the sponsoring communities. This model significantly relieves the volunteer board members of much of the administrative burden of operating our health services. 

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Q. How do we establish our own Community Health Centre?

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A. The process to establish a community health centre starts with the development of a detailed proposal and service plan that is submitted to the Ministry of Health for funding approval.  When the proposal is approved and funded the not-for-profit entity will be formed and the implementation activities will start.

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A grant has been provided for the project to support the development of the proposal for a Discovery Islands Community Health Centre that will encompass the Discovery Islands Region.

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Q. What will be the name of the Community Health Centre?

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A.  For the purposes of planning, we will use the name of Discovery Islands Community Health Centre but will undergo a process to create the brand that reflects the communities being served by the Community Health Centre.

 

Q.  Who is involved in the planning process?

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A. Community members have been advocating for many years for a healthcare model that is accessible, sustainable, and focused on the specific needs of our rural communities.

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The Planning Table for this project is made up of board members from Cortes Community Health Association, Quadra Island Health Society, Klahoose and We Wai Kai Nations, Campbell River Primary Care Network, the BC Association of Community Health Centres as well a medical advisor, Pat Peterson, and a Project Manager, Marguerite Vickery.

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The process will include opportunities for community members to provide feedback and communication updates will be provided on a regular basis.