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A visitor to B.C. has been confirmed to have measles and traveled within Interior Health while infectious. There are no measles cases in Interior Health at this time. Interior Health is following up directly with individuals who are known to have been exposed to complete contact tracing. The risk to the broader public is considered low. If you were at the following location during the time listed below, you may have been exposed to measles: McDonalds Restaurant 2110 Middletown Place Sparwood, B.C.Exposure Date: June 8, 2025Exposure Time: 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. If you have been exposed at the above location and have not been vaccinated against measles or are unsure, are immunocompromised, have an exposed child under one year of age, or are pregnant, please call 1-855-549-6364 to speak with the communicable disease team who will review your vaccine history, determine your immunity to measles, and provide recommendations. Anyone who is concerned about exposure to measles should watch for symptoms of measles. Symptoms include: fever, cough, runny nose, and red and inflamed eyes. These are followed by a rash, which starts first on the face and neck, spreads to the chest, arms and legs, and lasts for at least three days. Please call ahead to your doctor’s office or the hospital before you visit if you think you may have been exposed to measles and have developed symptoms. This will allow the office or hospital to make a plan to care for you safely and prevent other people from potential exposure during your visit. If you think you or a loved one may have been exposed to measles but you have no symptoms, you can call 8-1-1 or your local public health centre to speak to a nurse.  Protect yourself and your family The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones against measles is to ensure vaccinations are up to date. To check your vaccination status please visit interiorhealth.ca/measles. You can get the vaccine for free at your local community health centre. Your pharmacist (for adults and kids over five) may also have the vaccine available. Measles is a serious illness that is caused by a virus. It is highly contagious and spreads easily through the air. Complications from measles can include pneumonia, inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), convulsions (seizures), deafness, brain damage, and death. For more information on measles, go to Measles | HealthLink B.C.

People living in and around Kamloops now have more access to team-based primary care through the new Supporting Team Excellence with Patients Society (STEPS) North Shore Community Health Centre (CHC) at 202B-780 Windsor Ave. “The STEPS North Shore Community Health Centre brings us closer to our goal of providing everyone in B.C. the high-quality health care they need, when and where they need it,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “This centre is expected to facilitate more than 30,000 patient visits each year in a culturally safe, trauma-informed environment.” Once fully operational, STEPS North Shore CHC will provide comprehensive person-centred primary care that will connect 4,300 people in the area without a family doctor or nurse practitioner with a primary-care provider. “STEPS is focused on strengthening long-term relationships between patients and health-care providers,” said Colin O’Leary, president, STEPS. “These relationships have been shown to improve health outcomes, help avoid preventable illness and reduce the cost of health care. The new North Shore Community Health Centre will expand on the network of care we have built in the Thompson region and enhance primary-care services for underserved populations in our community.” Since May 15, 2025, when the CHC opened, STEPS has hired 0.2 full-time equivalent (FTE) family physician, one FTE registered nurse, one FTE mental-health therapist, 0.8 FTE community-health worker and one FTE executive director. It is currently interviewing for additional clinical positions. Once fully operational, the CHC will have a clinical staffing complement of approximately 13.5 FTE health-care workers, including two FTE family physicians, three FTE nurse practitioners, 2.3 FTE registered nurses, 1.15 FTE licensed practical nurse, 2.8 FTE social workers and community-health workers, and one FTE physiotherapist, and an executive director and support staff.  “By working closely with community partners, such as STEPS, we are expanding access to primary care, which includes health promotion and wellness services,” said Susan Brown, president and CEO of Interior Health. “This means more people will be supported in staying healthy through early intervention, personalized care plans and a broad team of health professionals focused on long-term health and well-being.” The STEPS North Shore CHC plans to be open six days a week, including some morning and/or evening hours. “As we continue to implement a primary-care network across the region, this new centre represents a key step in aligning community-based services with our shared vision for integrated, team-based care,” said Dr. Meghan Macdonald, president of the Thompson Region Division of Family Practice. The Province has committed more than $2.6 million in annual operating funding with more than $2 million in additional, one-time start-up funds, which includes more than $1.3 million for tenant improvements for the North Shore CHC. The health centre will be operated by STEPS, a non-profit society that has been providing interdisciplinary, team-based primary health care in the Thompson Region since 2017. It is a community driven initiative made possible through the collaboration of STEPS, Interior Health, the Thompson Region Division of Family Practice and the Ministry of Health. The STEPS North Shore CHC will be part of the Thompson Region Primary Care Network (PCN), which brings together health-care providers in Kamloops and the Lower Thompson region to improve access and attachment to team-based, comprehensive and culturally safe primary care. The investment in the STEPS North Shore CHC aligns with the Province’s primary-care strategy to improve access to team-based, patient-focused care though PCNs, which are geographically based, locally planned and co-ordinated systems of primary care, as well as single-site models of care, such as First Nations Primary Care Initiatives and Urgent and Primary Care Centres. Quick Facts: Including the new STEPS North Shore CHC in Kamloops, there are 13 publicly funded CHCs in B.C. that are delivering services, including one publicly funded CHC operating in the Interior Health region. Publicly funded CHCs are required to be integrated into primary-care networks. Learn More: To learn more about the Province’s Primary Care Strategy, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2018PREM0034-001010 To learn about the Province’s Health Human Resources Strategy, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2022HLTH0059-001464 To sign up to be matched with a family doctor or nurse practitioner on the Health Connect Registry, visit: https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-connect-registry Read the original release on BC Gov News

Lillooet and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Lillooet Hospital and Health Centre.   Emergency services will be unavailable from 7 p.m. on Monday, June 16 to 8 a.m. Tuesday, June 17, 2025. Patients can access care at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops during this time.   All other inpatient services will continue at Lillooet 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.  

Interior Health (IH) president and CEO Susan Brown has issued the following statement on commitment to Kelowna General Hospital (KGH): “As CEO of Interior Health, I have the privilege of working with thousands of remarkable professionals across a vast and complex system and I am deeply proud of the incredible work our teams do every day to serve our communities. “In any organization of this size, there will be different views – including on the approach leadership takes - and I have always been open to feedback and suggestions. I have been encouraged by the many messages of support I've personally received from members of the public, patients and their families, staff and medical staff supporting my leadership and our work at IH. “And late last week, I was pleased to have the full support of my Chair, Dr. Robert Halpenny, the Interior Health Board, and the Honourable Josie Osborne, the Minister of Health. “I acknowledge that IH is facing significant pressures. There is a growing demand for health-care services, here at IH and across the province. We continue to experience a competitive global market for a limited number of available health-care professionals – including physicians, nurses and allied health professionals. This has contributed to challenges, including temporary service interruptions in emergency departments and specialized services such as pediatrics and obstetrics. “Regardless, we are focussed on reopening the inpatient pediatric unit at Kelowna General Hospital at the end of the six weeks. IH appreciates the support of the Ministry of Health in the many collaborative projects to put solutions in place for KGH. “My team and I have participated in dozens of meetings to listen to leaders and physicians at KGH to better understand the issues that resulted in the difficult decision to temporarily change pediatric services. “I have heard some concerns about culture in the Emergency and Pediatrics Departments and I share those concerns. I’ve also seen behaviour that is unproductive and not in alignment with the values of IH – quality, integrity, compassion and safety. “Let me be clear: I remain committed to listening to frontline staff and leaders and understanding how our leadership team can better support them in delivering high-quality, team-based care. The service demands on our facilities across IH, in Kelowna, and beyond are high, but everyone is working hard to meet the needs of families and patients across our communities. A common priority for everyone is the retention of health-care workers. “Across IH, our health-care teams are working under enormous pressure. I want to acknowledge and thank everyone who continues to show up for patients and families—especially during times of uncertainty. We are committed to working in close partnership with staff, medical staff, and community leaders to address current challenges and develop sustainable, local solutions. A shared priority among all of us is retaining and supporting our health-care workforce. “I continue to hear sensationalized misinformation in the media and beyond, but I want our community to know that KGH is, and continues to be, a priority for me and IH. “Some of the issues raised recently are related to physician compensation models and service deliverables. These are matters negotiated between the Ministry of Health and Doctors of BC, and they are not within the operational responsibilities of health authorities like IH. These discussions rightly belong at the bargaining table, not in public forums or media. “IH remains focused on what matters most: providing safe, high-quality care to the people who rely on us. As both CEO and a member of our community, I remain committed to that mission, and to leading IH with integrity, transparency, and a deep respect for the communities we serve.” Quick Facts: Over the last five years IH has made significant investments into KGH, including: A total 2025 operating budget of $558 million per year This is a $250 million increase over the last 5 years This represents an 81 per cent increase over 2020 We have funded 600 new additional full-time equivalent staff This is a 30 per cent increase since 2020 We have provided an additional $278 million in capital investment (2015-2025) This includes $15.2 million dedicated to services upgrades at KGH for pregnant individuals and infants A high-level summary of service expansion investments includes: Inpatient bed expansion which added 51 new patient beds Hospital at Home – 9 “beds” Two new operating rooms Gynecological Oncology and Colposcopy surgical expansion Expanded to a Tier 4 Neonatal service  Expanded Trauma Program Expanded Surgical Eye Care Expanded Brain Health and Endovascular Thrombectomy (EVT) Neurointerventional Services (Stroke Care) Since the closure of the pediatric inpatient unit in May, IH has put a number of solutions in place: Received Ministry of Health approval for an additional physician to work in the Emergency Department 24/7 Provided a schedule of community and hospital-based pediatricians who support critical cases in the emergency department prior to transfer Redeployed pediatric nurses to work in the Emergency Department Ministry of Health supported a new temporary compensation model for pediatricians supporting the NICU to support stabilization during this period of service interruption Ongoing support for the recruitment of pediatricians with an aggressive recruitment campaign, locally, nationally and internationally which is working One new pediatrician is starting this summer and two more have accepted offers starting in September. At least one additional pediatrician has expressed interest in coming to Kelowna Three Associate Physicians starting in over the summer which will support workload Continued to maintain neonatal intensive care services at KGH A new schedule of community and hospital-based pediatricians who are able to support critical cases in the Emergency Department, prior to transfer We have also confirmed a new protocol to ensure that in addition to the meetings and verbal updates we have been providing staff and clinicians, including to the emergency and pediatrics departments, we’ll also share written updates to our teams as quick as possible and more frequently.

Lillooet and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Lillooet Hospital and Health Centre.   Emergency services will be unavailable from 7 a.m. on Sunday, June 15 to 8 a.m. Monday, June 16, 2025. Patients can access care at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops during this time.   All other inpatient services will continue at Lillooet 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.  

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

Trail and area residents are advised that the Trail Health Centre Laboratory, located on the third floor of the downtown medical building at 1101 Dewdney Avenue, will be closed as of July 28, 2025. Outpatient laboratory services, including specimen collection, are available at the LifeLabs Trail Patient Services Centre (PSC), located on the second floor at Waneta Plaza. Interior Health will be supporting patients over the weeks ahead to transition to LifeLabs, which can accommodate all current health centre patients. This change is being made to make the best use of laboratory staffing resources in Trail, and improve laboratory testing for patients who present to the Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital (KBRH) emergency department and patients admitted to the hospital who require laboratory testing. LifeLabs Trail PSC is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering walk-ins and online appointment booking (through Book a Lab Visit), with results being available through MyCareCompass. Interior Health’s priority is to ensure timely and equitable access for laboratory collection services for both the community and acute care patients. Outpatient laboratory services will continue to be available at KBRH for patients requiring urgent services related to acute procedures (i.e., cancer, renal and pre-surgical patients). Health care providers with patients requiring urgent outpatient laboratory services can direct these patients to the hospital for this testing.

Lillooet and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Lillooet Hospital and Health Centre.   Emergency services will be unavailable from 7 a.m. on Thursday, June 12 to 8 a.m. Saturday, June 14, 2025. Patients can access care at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops during this time.   All other inpatient services will continue at Lillooet 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.  

Clearwater and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital. Emergency services will be unavailable effective immediately until 7 a.m., Tuesday, June 10, 2025. Patients can access care at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops or 100 Mile House District General Hospital in 100 Mile House during this time. All other inpatient services will continue at Dr. Helmcken Memorial 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.