New primary care clinic and hospice facility coming to Lower Mainland

The province says it has already broken ground on two new healthcare projects for the Lower Mainland.

Health Minister Adrian Dix said Friday a new primary care clinic will open in Surrey this fall and a hospice residence will be ready for Langley residents in summer 2021. The clinic will be staffed with nurse practitioners — registered nurses who have completed a masters degree beyond their initial nurse training and can diagnose illnesses and injuries, make specialist referrals and prescribe medications.

Located at 5795 176th St. in Surrey, Axis Primary Care Clinic will offer team-based primary care services to Surrey residents. Patients can register on Aug. 10 and the facility is expected to open on Sept. 8, 2020.

According to the health ministry, there will be space at the clinic to register almost 7,000 residents who currently do not have a family doctor over the next three years.

The clinic will also provide access to primary health-care services to patients with complex medical and social needs, mental health and addiction challenges and coordination of specialist care.

This is the second nurse practitioner primary care clinic to be announced in the province under the primary care strategy. The first clinic opened in Nanaimo in June 2020.

"Compared to other jurisdictions in Canada, B.C. has not made the best use of nurse practitioners," Dix said in a written statement. "The Axis Primary Care Clinic will help connect more people with the care they need, when they need it, closer to home."

When fully staffed, 10 full-time health-care staff will work at the primary care clinic, including nurse practitioners, registered nurses, social workers and mental health clinicians.

Once the clinic is fully operational, the B.C. government will provide approximately $2 million in annual operating funding, as well as $754,400 for one-time startup costs.

New Langley hospice facility

Dix's second announcement Friday afternoon was for a new 15-room hospice residence in Langley located at 219A Street and 52 Avenue.

When the facility is completed in summer 2021, the new residence will replace the 10 hospice beds currently on the Langley Memorial Hospital campus, allowing those 10 beds to be repurposed for long-term care. 

The new hospice space is designed to provide individuals, families and caregivers with the means to access palliative and end-of-life care in a comfortable environment. The hospice will include specialized care spaces and private rooms with outdoor access for each resident.

"It's not just about dying, it's about living well right to the very end," said Kathy Derksen, president of the Langley Hospice Society.

Families of residents will be able to access comfortable and quiet spaces in the hospice to support their specific needs, with areas such as a dedicated sanctuary, family kitchen, laundry and washroom. 

Dedicated and specially trained staff from Fraser Health will provide clinical care and services for patients. Fraser Health staff will also provide emotional and practical support for patients and families, along with Langley Hospice staff and volunteers.

The province, through Fraser Health and BC Housing, is providing $5 million toward the hospice and the Langley Hospice Society is providing $2.28 million through community support and donations.

The B.C. government, working through the BC Centre for Palliative Care, is also providing $900,000 and the Township of Langley is providing $219,000 as a grant/waiver of municipal charges.

Fraser Health will provide operational funding at the new residence.