When it comes to health care services, Bowen Island has a lot of similarities to remote and rural communities, yet it is lumped together with West Vancouver, says Colleen O'Neil, coordinator of the Caring Circle. This leads to problems in the delivery of services and O'Neil presented her views to Jordan Sturdy, MLA of West Vancouver Sea to Sky, at the special council meeting on July 12.
"I'm part of a grassroots organization called the Caring Circle," she said. "We've published a resource guide and operate a website as well as a drop in centre." O'Neil added that it has become clear that Bowen Island is in a critical situation, especially when it comes to urgent care.
O'Neil believes that two the physicians and the ambulance service are not adequate for serving a community of 3,000.
"We also hear that transportation can be difficult. It's a long commute to go to the Lion's Gate Hospital for a post-stroke check up or for whatever is required. Some people are simply no going and they are living at risk on Bowen," O'Neil said. "We seem close [to West Vancouver] but not close enough."
Sturdy said that funding for health care services goes to the various health authorities that allocate the money to different areas. "You need to have an action plan," he said.
O'Neil said the Caring Circle is looking to build a clinic that has an urgent care facility and one of the first steps is to participate in a public health survey that is designed to help shape future programs and community services.
The survey can be found at www.myhealthmycommunity.org and a team from Vancouver Coastal Health will come to Bowen to assist islanders in filling out.
Help with the survey is available at the Bowen Island Library from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 30 and 31.
