Province Strengthens Community-Based Primary-Care Services

The BC Government is launching an assessment of its primary-care system, as part of its agreement with the confidence deal in place with the Green Party.

“We are working to ensure that everyone has access to primary care when and where they need it,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health.

“With a close connection and deep understanding of the people they serve, community health centres are a critical part of this by providing team-based, high-quality services. Collaboration is key to making progress, and I look forward to finding ways to further strengthen community-based primary care.”

Under the agreement, the NDP government and BC Greens committed to assess all elements of B.C.’s primary care system, provide $15 million to assist in the creation of new, or support for, existing community health centres, and establish targets for the opening of new publicly funded CHCs.

The Province says the assessment is underway, led by a working group co-ordinated by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Green caucus.

An initial report will be completed and released this summer.

It will set priorities for the use of $15 million to support existing and new community health centres and also consider options for funding models.

A final report will be released in the fall, addressing barriers that exist for health professionals and communities that want to establish CHCs and establish processes for identifying priority communities for CHC expansion next year.

CHCs are community-governed, not-for-profit organizations with services tailored to meet the unique health needs of the community they serve.

That includes providing access to complex medical and social services, such as for people with chronic illnesses and for underserved populations, such as immigrants and members of the LGBTQ2S+ community, as well as integrating team-based programs and services in primary care and health promotion, and community well-being.

To learn more, visit Government of British Columbia.