Richmond: Government is transforming everyday health care for people living in Richmond by establishing three primary care networks (PCNs), which will bring additional health-care resources and support to the region.

Over the next three years, across the three networks in Richmond, up to 70 new health-care providers will be recruited. This includes 32 new doctors, 14 new nurse practitioners and 24 additional health-care professionals, ranging from registered nurses to allied health-care professionals and clinical pharmacists.

“We know that many people living within Richmond have had challenges getting access to the everyday health care they need for themselves and their families,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “Creating these primary care networks will allow health-care professionals to work together in a team-based environment to help address long-standing gaps in primary care access for people in this community.”

The three networks will be the Richmond West, Richmond City Centre and Richmond East PCNs. Each PCN partners new and existing health-care professionals with the health authority and community organizations as part of a networked, team-based approach to providing care.

Each network will provide a full range of accessible, everyday health services, from maternity to end-of-life care, that will better support patients and providers. Together, these PCNs will see community partners work to attach tens of thousands of patients in Richmond to regular primary care.

The Richmond networks were developed to better meet the specific needs of the community. These priority needs include:

  • increased attachment for Richmond residents to a regular primary care provider;
  • enhanced co-ordination of primary and community services with a focus on improving care for seniors;
  • enhanced cultural safety and culturally appropriate care for Indigenous and immigrant residents; and
  • increased team-based resources to better meet the needs of people with mild to moderate chronic disease/conditions. These resources include health promotion services that respond to population health needs.

The Richmond PCNs are a partnership between the Ministry of Health, Vancouver Coastal Health and the Richmond Division of Family Practice. PCNs are also being implemented in Fraser northwest communities, Burnaby, Prince George and South Okanagan Similkameen communities.

The Ministry of Health will provide approximately $15 million in annual funding to the Richmond region by the third year, as net new positions are added and patients are attached.