Patients in Lytton now have access to improved local healthcare services with the opening of a primary care clinic.

Interior Health says physician visits, mental health and substance use services, home health, and public health services will be offered at the new temporary primary care clinic.

Two doctors will see patients on a rotating basis at the centre, which is open from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m to 4 p.m. It will also be serviced by two registered nurses, who will help assess and coordinate care.

An Aboriginal Patient Navigator position, which is being recruited for, is also set to provide direct patient and family support, including access to traditional ceremonies and healing practices.

“The integration of additional health-care equipment and increased digital information sharing capacity will also support the expansion of health services over the next few months and years.”

The clinic — which is being leased by IH on Lytton First Nation land and is located at 1535 St. Georges Road, across from the Tl’kmtsin Health Centre — will serve the community while planning and construction for a permanent health facility proceed over the next few years.

IH president and CEO Susan Brown says they are grateful to the Lytton First Nation for working with them to deliver health services in the area.

“We want to also thank them for opening space within the Tl’kemtsin Health Centre for more than a year between May 2022 and August 2023 so that Interior Health could re-establish primary care services in the community and plan for this new temporary clinic after the 2021 wildfire. We look forward to our continued relationship with community and health partners as this project evolves.”

Planning for the final phase of this project, a permanent health facility to replace the St. Bartholomew’s Health Centre, which was destroyed in the 2021 wildfire, is also underway and will be located within the Village of Lytton.

“Opening this temporary clinic is an important milestone in restoring medical services for all community members”, said Lytton Mayor Denise O’Connor. “We look forward to being involved in discussions to plan for construction of Lytton’s permanent health-care facility.”

Interior Health has been engaging with community and healthcare partners on re-establishing health services for the past year to ensure that ideas, concerns, and questions are addressed and integrated into decision-making around future services in the community.