Sterling Centre will close its walk-in clinic Nov. 15. (submitted photo/Sterling Centre)

By Pete McIntyre

Nov. 15

Vernon’s last walk-in clinic to close

Oct 16, 2023 | 12:45 PM

Vernon’s last walk-in clinic will be shutting down next month.

The Sterling Centre on 25th Avenue has announced it will be closing permanently “after Nov. 15th.”

The local doctors that run it have issued a statement, saying they can’t find enough support staff to keep it open, adding they have worked with Interior Health and the Ministry of Health for the last year, without success.

“We have exhausted all attempts to acquire the needed supports to stay open and avoid closure. We are saddened by this difficult decision and sorry for the inevitable frustration it will cause to patients in our community,” the statement from doctors said.

The closure will leave Vernon Jubilee Hospital’s emergency room as the only walk-in option for patients.

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“How is this…even allowed to happen? Seriously? Where are we gonna go? Those who don’t or can’t drive what are they gonna do? This needs to stop,” wrote one person on Facebook’s Vernon and area community forum.

“The issue relates back to housing…staff would move here if they could fine a affordable place to live,” said another person

“This isn’t on the doctors. IH [Interior Health] is the culprit here, and the minister of health needs to put their foot down,” another person wrote.

Vernon Matters has reached out to Interior Health for comment on the pending closure.

The walk-in clinic at The Real Canadian Superstore on Anderson Way, called the North Okanagan Medical Clinic, shut down Sept. 30 due to a lack of doctors.

Two other walk-in clinics — at the Vernon Square Mall and the Fruit Union Plaza — have closed since 2016 also due to a lack of doctors.