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4h ago

Victoria Hospital’s Urgent Pediatric Clinic to Close Sept. 1, Consults Moving to ER

Rising caseload complexity, physician burnout, retention pressures are prompting Island Health to route UPAC consultations through the emergency department.

Victoria General Hospital.
The front entrance of Victoria General Hospital.
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Overview

  • Victoria General Hospital’s Urgent Pediatric Assessment Clinic stopped taking new referrals on Aug. 15 and will shut for an unspecified period starting Sept. 1.
  • Island Health says urgent pediatric consultations will be handled through the emergency department, restoring work the clinic had been created in 2019 to absorb.
  • Pediatricians notified colleagues that the closure diverts limited staff to more emergent care, with a stated hope to reopen with an expanded service when feasible.
  • The Health Ministry has approved an alternative payment arrangement, and Island Health says it is engaging the Health Employers Association of BC to negotiate contracts with no timeline provided.
  • The move comes as B.C. contends with broader pediatric capacity strains, highlighted by Kelowna General Hospital’s pediatric-unit shutdown in May and subsequent recruitment there.