Interior Health is back at the Okanagan Similkameen Hospital District on Thursday, April 15, with their request for primary care funding.

IH had brought forward a funding request in December, 2020 for $3.87 million, which had included $1.4 million in Primary Care Network funding on unspecified projects.

The hospital district board had sought additional information on where that $1.4 million would go, before rejecting the unspecified funding when no further information was provided while approving the rest of IH’s request.

READ MORE: No funding for Primary Care Networks from South Okanagan Similkameen Hospital District

The funding was earmarked for primary care networks in the South Okanagan Similkameen, which is a joint project between Interior Health, the South Okanagan Similkameen Division of Family Practice and the Penticton Indian Band, and in collaboration with the Osoyoos Indian Band, Lower Similkameen Indian Band and Upper Similkameen Indian Band to provide more and better primary care to residents in the region.

Interior Health has returned to the OSHD board with a funding request for $1 million, which would go to funding the Martin Street Urgent and Primary Care Centre (UPCC) in Penticton.

The request for funding was sent to the OSHD on March 12, following the announcement of the UPCC on March 9.

READ MORE: Urgent and Primary Care Centre opens doors on Penticton’s Martin Street

The recommendation from staff is for the OSHD to apply to the Minister of Health for the UPCC to be designated a hospital, after which the $1 million funding request could be approved.

The OSHD will be meeting on April 15 as part of the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen session to discuss the request.

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