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Interior Health (IH) has added new community-based supports for policing partners to improve the response for people experiencing mental health and substance use-related crises. These supports include four newly hired outreach liaison clinicians in Cranbrook, Nelson, Williams Lake and Trail.     “When people are experiencing a mental-health emergency and reach out to police, we need to take the right steps to provide them with the care they need to stay safe,” said Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “With the creation of outreach liaison teams, more people in crisis will be met with appropriate care, and a clear path to the help they need.”  This new service will see an IH mental health clinician supporting RCMP or Nelson city police to provide community outreach and education. These liaisons will respond to mental health and substance use crises, when appropriate, using de-escalation techniques and harm reduction approaches to provide mental health and substance use resources and support.  “These are health conditions that are stigmatized, complex and distressing to those experiencing them. Our ongoing priority with partners like the RCMP is to enhance mental health and substance use supports across the region to ensure people get the help they need during their most vulnerable moments,” said Interior Health President and CEO Susan Brown. The development of a new community outreach model is the result of partner discussions, a review of the data around demand for service and an examination of current mental health and substance use resources for community crisis response in these communities.  “These specialized outreach liaison teams are the result of the continued efforts being made by Interior Health and RCMP joint committee in taking action on the mental health challenges our communities face by providing a crisis response service and support across the region to ensure that those in crisis get the help they need,” said Chief Superintendent Brad Haugli, BC RCMP Southeast District Commander. The new service will operate eight hours a day, five days a week in each community.  These four communities do not see the same volume of interactions with individuals in crisis as Kamloops, Kelowna, Vernon and Penticton, which have established Mobile Integrated Crisis Response teams. However, IH and policing partners see the opportunity to provide additional supports to ensure people who are in distress are met with compassion and, where appropriate, connected to other health-care services and supports.  Teams in all four communities will work together on training, reporting and program evaluation to ensure consistency across the region.  An IH/RCMP Joint Committee continues to meet and work together looking at services within the Interior to identify additional opportunities for crises response enhancement. IH also has existing Crisis Response Teams available to support community members and existing clients who are experiencing a crisis. These teams are the main contact for RCMP for requests to provide mental health assessments, including suicide risk assessments; substance withdrawal assessments; links to Opioid Agonist Treatment if required; and referrals to community services.  IH has several outreach teams who liaise with police partners on an as-needed basis. These outreach teams include Access, Treatment Support and Recovery (TSR), Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), and Substance Use Outreach.  For more information about mental health and substance use services in IH visit interiorhealth.ca. To reach the Mental Health and Substance Use Centre closest to you and be connected to services, call 310-MHSU. For information about the RCMP Southeast District visit the Royal Canadian Mounted Police webpage.

Oliver and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at South Okanagan General Hospital due to limited physician availability.  Emergency services will be unavailable from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 27. Patients can access care at Penticton Regional Hospital during this time. All other inpatient services will continue as normal at South Okanagan General Hospital. People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.   Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.   The emergency department in Oliver is normally open 24/7.

Oliver and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at South Okanagan General Hospital due to limited physician availability.    Emergency services will be unavailable from 6 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 20 to 7 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 21. Patients can access care at Penticton Regional Hospital during this time.   All other inpatient services will continue as normal at South Okanagan General Hospital.   People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.     Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.     The emergency department in Oliver is normally open 24/7.

Please see the attached document to learn more about the look, contamination, and risk associated with the current drug alert.

Please see the attached document to learn more about the look, contamination, and risk associated with the current drug alert.

Oliver and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at South Okanagan General Hospital due to limited physician availability. Emergency services will be unavailable from 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9 to 8 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 10. Patients can access care at Penticton Regional Hospital during this time. All other inpatient services will continue as normal at South Okanagan General Hospital. People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.  Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.  The emergency department in Oliver is normally open 24/7.

Oliver and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at South Okanagan General Hospital due to limited physician availability.  Emergency services will be unavailable from 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8 to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9. Patients can access care at Penticton Regional Hospital during this time. All other inpatient services will continue as normal at South Okanagan General Hospital. People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.   Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.   The emergency department in Oliver is normally open 24/7.

Expectant parents and babies in the Central Okanagan will have improved access to services and supports through the new Central Okanagan Maternity Clinic. “Our priority is to ensure people have access to the primary care services they need, including expectant families,” said Health Minister Adrian Dix. “This new clinic builds on the existing primary care network in the Central Okanagan and will ensure expectant families are connected to the team-based care they need.” The clinic is a partnership between Interior Health, the Central Okanagan Division of Family Practice and family physicians, with funding from the Ministry of Health. This new service is a collaborative approach that involves family physicians with specialty training in maternity care, midwives, nursing professionals, social workers, and other allied health experts. With a focus on comprehensive prenatal care, covering outpatient clinic and in-hospital coverage for acute obstetrical care and deliveries. Clinic services are available to expectant families regardless of if they have a regular primary care provider and full prenatal care from early pregnancy to postpartum (8 weeks after), will be provided. “Having a baby is one of the most exciting times in the lives of families, and for some it can be stressful when the health needs of the family are more complex, making it important that they are supported with comprehensive services throughout their pregnancies,” said Susan Brown, IH President and CEO. “Providing consistent and sustained support helps build a foundation for healthier families in the years ahead.” Several locum family physicians will contribute to the clinic's services and a perinatal-focused social worker is also part of the new team. Midwifery providers are expected to join the clinic in the near future, further enhancing options for expectant parents in the region. “With the opening of the Central Okanagan Maternity Clinic, we can now ensure that pregnant people in our community can receive expert, compassionate prenatal care and support,” said Dr. Julie Parker, lead physician, Central Okanagan Maternity Clinic. “The opening of this clinic underlines the commitment of all the maternity providers in this community to delivering exceptional care for expectant families during this special chapter in their lives." The clinic accepts all perinatal referrals, including self-referrals, at any stage of pregnancy. Expectant families will be attached to the clinic throughout their pregnancies until eight weeks post-delivery. Patients attached to the clinic can access care Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Providers will be available 24 hours, seven days a week for deliveries and emergencies. The clinic, located in the Dr. Walter Anderson Building at 2251 Pandosy St. in Kelowna, will support approximately 30 deliveries per month. For more information, please contact the clinic at 250-862-4300 ext 33204, via fax at 250-870-4660, or by email at COKMaternityClinic@interiorhealth.ca.  

Residents in Kamloops and surrounding areas now have access to improved general X-ray and bone density testing services at the new Northills Centre Medical Imaging clinic at 42-700 Tranquille Rd. Formerly known as the North Shore Radiology Clinic, this upgraded facility offers improved services in a new, convenient location. ”The new Northills Centre Medical Imaging clinic will add capacity for over 8,000 X-rays and 3,000 bone density exams per year,” said B.C. Minister of Health, Adrian Dix. ”I am excited that residents in the Kamloops region will have access to improved medical imaging services closer to home.” "In addition to expanding access to X-ray tests, this clinic stands as the sole bone density clinic in the Thompson-Cariboo region. With clinic upgrades and new technology, we are excited to enhance medical imaging experiences for people in Kamloops and surrounding areas,” stated Susan Brown, Interior Health president and CEO. Upgraded bone density unit funded by Royal Inland Hospital FoundationNorthills Centre Medical Imaging is now home to an upgraded bone density unit, valued at $98,144, which was entirely funded by the Royal Inland Hospital (RIH) Foundation. A brand new X-ray machine and clinic renovations at Northills Centre Medical Imaging were funded by the Ministry of Health and the Thompson Regional Hospital District (TRHD) for a total of $917,000. The new X-ray machine, which replaces a 2004 model, provides better quality imaging and is easier to operate. "We are thrilled to enhance medical imaging services in our region through the acquisition of a new bone density machine for the Northills Centre Medical Imaging Clinic. Thanks to the generous contribution from an anonymous donor of the RIH Foundation, patients in the Thompson Cariboo Shuswap region can now benefit from this specialized service,” said Heidi Coleman, RIH Foundation CEO. “With advanced technology, we are committed to raising the standard of medical imaging experiences for the residents of Kamloops and the surrounding areas. Not only do we support the purchase of equipment inside the hospital, we are proud to support equipment needs in the community as well.” Situated on the North Shore of Kamloops, the new clinic boasts a prime location in a high-density neighborhood, with easy access to over 800 surface parking stalls. Its close proximity to the BC Transit North Shore Exchange will also benefit public transit users. “We're proud to have played a role in improving medical imaging services to people in Kamloops and the broader Thompson-Nicola region. The regional hospital district is committed to continue our advocacy for better health care in our rural areas and Kamloops,” said Mike O’Reilly, TRHD board chair. Upgraded X-ray machine jointly funded by the Ministry of Health and the Thompson Regional Hospital District.Northills Centre Medical Imaging shares a building with the North Shore Primary Care Centre and Northills Centre Laboratory, offering patients access to multiple health-care services seamlessly. The clinic opens from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. Bone density testing is by appointment only. X-ray is by appointment from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and drop-ins are available from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Appointment booking will be available at 250-314-2420.