The Thompson Regional Family Obstetrics (TRFO) clinic in Kamloops is staying open after all and will begin to accept new patients next week.

Interior Health says collaborative efforts between the Ministry of Health, Thompson Region Division of Family Practice, local maternity care providers, and the health authority “have addressed concerns related to the stability” at the city’s largest maternity clinic.

IH says the TRFO clinic, which was scheduled to close in July, will work alongside the newly opened antenatal care clinic inside Royal Inland Hospital to ensure people have timely access to care.

“This clinic is a vital resource for new and expecting families in Kamloops and surrounding communities who require access to local maternity care,” Health Minister Adrian Dix said, in a news release. “I want to applaud all the efforts that allowed these services to resume.”

Dix told Kamloops media last month that a plan to keep the doors of the clinic open was in the works.

“People ask me about this and say ‘Well, what is the progress?’ and the progress is that we are working together on short-term solutions and more importantly, solutions that take and last,” Dix said.

Interior Health says part of the deal to keep the TRFO clinic open involves the hiring of a pair of permanent obstetricians, as well as use of temporary physicians — or locums — coming in to fill gaps.

However, IH suggests there doesn’t need to be any concern about the TRFO clinic potentially facing another possible shut down.

“This is permanent,” Lisa Zetes-Zanatta, IH Executive Director of Kamloops Community Programs told NL News on Friday. “The contract is a permanent contract. The support for locums, until we have every physician that we need locally delivering babies where don’t need locum physicians to come in, we will continue to support the locum positions through the travel and accommodations as well.”

Zetes-Zanatta says part of the deal has also seen the Royal Inland Hospital Foundation put forward $10,000 to cover the locums with their travel expenses and accommodations.

“Interior Health knows how important access to stable, quality care is for expectant parents and families,” Interior Health CEO Susan Brown, added. “We are committed to working with all partners to ensure this clinic is successful moving forward and to keeping patients at the heart of all these discussions.”

Located on the first floor of the Clinical Services Building at Royal Inland Hospital, the TRFO clinic provides care for parents and families in Kamloops and surrounding communities, like Merritt, Barriere, Ashcroft, Lillooet, Lytton, and Clearwater starting from early pregnancy up to six weeks following the birth of their babies.

It supports on average about 600 to 700 deliveries per year, or about approximately 50 to 60 deliveries per month.

“TRFO physicians believe that the support provided by IH and the Ministry of Health for the clinic will help to ensure its ongoing sustainability,” TRFO physician group co-lead, Dr. Shaun Davis, said, in the news release.

“We are optimistic that the supports put in place will allow for the permanent recruitment of family doctors who work in obstetrical care. The collaboration with the antenatal care clinic will ensure timely access to all maternity services in Kamloops.”

–With files from Paul James