Unattached pregnant patients in the Kamloops area can now access the Midwifery Antenatal Care Clinic in Royal Inland Hospital to receive ongoing care before birth.  The clinic receives referrals from family doctors, nurse practitioners, midwives and the Kamloops Urgent Primary Care and Learning Centre (UPCLC). Patients who have had their initial appointments at the Kamloops UPCLC are automatically added to the referral list.  Patients who have not had a confirmed pregnancy with a dating ultrasound should book an initial appointment with a family doctor, nurse practitioner, midwife or the Kamloops UPCLC (250-314-2256) to be added to the referral list.  A member of the care team will reach out to all patients on the referral list via phone by June 19 to book appointments based on their due dates and other specific needs. Instructions will be given directly to patients in these calls.  To contact the Midwifery Antenatal Care Clinic, please dial 250-314-2782 and select 1 to leave a message. Staff check messages frequently and will respond in a timely manner.  We encourage patients to also connect with Healthy from the Start (855-868-7710) for additional support and information. This is a toll-free, confidential phone line that connects patients with a public health nurse, who will share information, answer questions and help you get connected to resources in the community.

Salmon Arm and area residents are advised lab services at the Shuswap Outpatient Collection Lab at #2 - 2770 10 Ave NE, Salmon Arm will be unavailable from June 5-9, 2023 to allow for a safe and smooth transition into a new space. During this week, patients requiring urgent bloodwork only can present at Shuswap Lake General Hospital between 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Patients with routine bloodwork are asked to kindly wait until the new space opens on June 12. Additional staff will be available upon reopening to help attend to those who had to wait for their routine blood work. The upgraded Outpatient Collection Lab is being relocated to vacant space within the existing building. Community residents will experience a more modern environment with improved accessibility and efficiency of services.

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.

People in Kamloops and throughout the Thompson-Cariboo region are one step closer to having a new cancer centre at the Royal Inland Hospital (RIH). "Today's announcement of the concept plan approval for the new cancer care centre demonstrates our government's commitment to deliver world-class cancer care closer to home for residents in Kamloops," said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. "The new cancer centre will deliver access to modern, high-quality comprehensive cancer-care services for patients in their fast-growing community where it is needed." When open, the new centre will help make the B.C. cancer-care system stronger and better equipped to deal with the demand from a growing and aging population by adding expanded cancer treatment facilities and oncology services. "By building a new cancer centre in Kamloops, we are bringing cancer care closer to home for patients and families in the Interior," said David Byres, president and CEO, Provincial Health Services Authority. "We look forward to working in partnership with Interior Health to improve capacity for high-quality, culturally safe cancer care across this rapidly growing region and engaging with local communities, patients, families and Aboriginal partners in this process." Concept planning, which has been completed, is a key part of the capital management and funding process that takes into account the need for investment, including identifying specific needs and how a project can support service-delivery requirements to ensure the specific needs of the community are addressed. Business planning for the new cancer-care centre is now underway to determine the project scope, schedule and budget. The new centre is expected to provide space for: patient arrival and check-in; radiation treatment, including three shielded treatment rooms, known as bunkers; three high-energy radiation treatment linear accelerators (LINACS); radiation therapy planning; one CT simulator; one MRI scanner; an outpatient oncology ambulatory care unit, including 10 exam rooms and two consulting rooms; and staff support, including offices and workstations. Plans are also underway to build a 470-stall parkade to support staff, patients and visiting family and friends. Additional diagnostic and treatment equipment and services may be identified as a requirement for the new cancer-care centre during the business planning phase. The investment in new radiation treatment services in Kamloops will prevent patients' need to travel to cancer centres elsewhere for treatment. The new centre is expected to provide radiation treatment to 1,000 patients in its opening year, which will result in 14,000 treatment visits per year. Some cancer-care services are currently delivered in Kamloops through a community oncology clinic at RIH. It features oral and intravenous cancer treatment, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy and hormonal therapy. The team delivering cancer care through the community oncology clinic provide exceptional care, but the current clinic cannot meet the projected regional demands for service. In addition to building a new cancer centre, upgrades to the community oncology clinic have also been approved. Hospital upgrades will include the modernization and increase in the number of cancer treatment spaces and exam rooms at RIH. As well, renovation and expansion of the existing pharmacy will improve functionality, along with the installation of improved dispensing and automated dispensing replenishing area and storage. The new cancer centre is a part of the 10-year B.C. Cancer Action Plan, which outlines actionable steps to better prevent, detect, and treat cancers, delivering improved care for people facing cancer now while preparing for the growing needs of the future. Quotes: Dr. Shallen Letwin, vice-president of clinical operations, Interior Health -  "People living with cancer in Kamloops and area will soon have access to comprehensive cancer care closer to home. The collaboration between Interior Health and BC Cancer to expand care options will help to improve the health outcomes and experiences of the people living in our region." Sarah Roth, president and CEO, BC Cancer Foundation - "The BC Cancer Foundation and its community of donors is ready and eager to partner with the provincial government and BC Cancer on bringing the very best in research, technology and care to Kamloops via this new cancer centre." Heidi Coleman, CEO, Royal Inland Hospital Foundation - "At the Royal Inland Hospital Foundation, we frequently encounter grateful patients who are appreciative of the care they have received, but often share stories about the hardships of having to travel to Kelowna for radiation and other cancer services. This new comprehensive cancer-care centre is a win-win for the whole province. Working together we will make the Interior of B.C. a better place to live." Quick Facts: Fifty per cent of all cancer patients receive radiation therapy treatment. The community oncology clinic at RIH also provides initial consultation and treatment planning with a medical oncologist, supportive care, followup care and patient education. Overall care is provided by an interdisciplinary team, including general practitioner oncologists, nurses, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, social workers and dietitians. Contacts Ministry of Health Communications 250 952-1887 (media line) Interior Health Communications 1 844 469-7077 (media line) Provincial Health Services Authority Communications 778 867-7472 (media line) Read the original release from BC Gov News

Ashcroft and area residents are advised of temporary changes to service hours at Ascroft Urgent and Primary Care Centre due to limited physician and nursing availability. On May 20, services at the Ashcroft UPCC will be unavailable for scheduled and walk-in patients. Scheduled patients will be rebooked for the earliest available appointment date. During this time, patients can book same-day access to care at the Kamloops Urgent Primary Care and Learning Centre at 250-314-2256. People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 9-1-1 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 UPCC in Ashcroft is normally open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Clearwater and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital due to limited nursing availability.  Starting 11 p.m. tonight, May 15 to 7 a.m. Tuesday, May 16, emergency services will be unavailable and patients can access care at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops.  During this time, all other inpatient services will continue as normal 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.   The emergency department in Clearwater 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. Cranbrook Drug Alert May 4, 2023