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Sicamous Community Health Centre continues to put patients first

Centre receiving Rural Health award for working with community’s needs
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The Sicamous Community Health Centre will be congratulated by the Rural Coordination Centre for collaborating with the community on healthcare needs. (Sicamous Community Health Centre/ Facebook)

The Sicamous Community Health Centre remains ready to serve residents in need of medical care.

In February, Dr. Carol Connick announced her retirement, which is effective June 1. Health care centre manager Karen Eastland confirmed at the March 22 committee of the whole meeting that Dr. Connick will continue to practice medicine upon her move to Edmonton and will keep her licence active until 2024 to assist her former patients with accessing lab tests and other continuing results.

On Feb. 13, nurse practitioner Jennifer Post-Balfour officially joined the health centre practice and is taking over Connick’s patient list. Eastland said Post-Balfour can take new patients but isn’t at the moment, and Dr. Vicki Edmondson is also helping with the patient load. The health centre also employs Dr. Saad Alam.

“No patients will be left without care,” confirmed Eastland. “So far, the reaction’s been really good and [Post-Balfour] is a wonderful addition to the team.”

Coun. Malcolm Makayev noted that by hiring a nurse practitioner, the centre would get additional funding from Interior Health.

A nurse practitioner has the same scope of practice as a doctor, said Eastland, with the exception of prescribing certain medications.

The health centre accepts walk-ins whether you’re a clinic patient or not. Eastland said the centre tries to leave a few blocks of time each day to account for urgent care calls, so staff request that walk-in patients call ahead.

Eastland finished the presentation saying she is going to the BC Rural Health Conference in Whistler June 2 to 4 in conjunction with the University of British Columbia. Sicamous is being honoured by the Rural Coordination Centre with an award at the conference, celebrating the district for collaborating with the community concerning healthcare.

READ MORE: Sicamous doctor retiring, nurse practitioner to see patients

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Rebecca Willson

About the Author: Rebecca Willson

I took my first step into the journalism industry in November 2022 when I moved to Salmon Arm to work for the Observer and Eagle Valley News. I graduated with a journalism degree in December 2021 from MacEwan University in Edmonton.
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