Health Q&A

In October 2023, Island Health introduced an In-House Registered Midwife program to support individuals without access to a primary care provider. For more information go to https://tinyurl.com/57f2mj24

• For further information on the prevention, management and diagnosis of diabetes, call 8-1-1 to speak to a registered dietitian, registered nurse or pharmacist. Our dietitians are available Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Our nurses are available anytime, every day of the year. Our pharmacists are available every night from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. You can also Email a HealthLinkBC Dietitian.

• You can also contact an Urgent Primary Care Centre (UPCC) in the Victoria area for a virtual appointment. If follow up or an in person consultation is required, you can make and appointment during your virtual visit. https://tinyurl.com/mt8e2u8b

• Persons with Disabilities (PWD) status provides monetary assistance provided by the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction for people who need help completing daily living activities. Whether you qualify or not is based on your income, assets, residency, family status (single/children etc.) https://tinyurl.com/29355rw8

• To help navigate this process, you can contact the Mayne Island Home Care Nurse at 250-539-3645 for assistance.

You can contact an Urgent Primary Care Centre (UPCC) in the Victoria area https://tinyurl.com/mt8e2u8b

You can call first for a virtual appointment and if necessary book an in-person appointment at the UPCC site you called

Yes, if you have a signed requisition from a doctor call the health centre at 250-539-2312 to book an appointment.

Contact the Mayne Island Assisted Living Society (MIALS). Email info@mials.org or call the Home and Community Nurse (250) 213-6191.

1. The Mayne Island Health Clinic is not accepting new patients at this time.

2. If you have recently moved to Mayne Island and already have a family physician or medical clinic where you are registered, right now it’s best to stay registered at that location

3. You can register to be on the waiting list for the Mayne Island Clinic through the Provincial Attachment System (PAS). For more information go to https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/public-health-alertsregistry or call 811

1. For general information on mental health services available in our area please contact Salt Spring Island Mental Health Counselling Services here

2. Call or Text the Mental Health Crisis number 988

3. Contact our Mayne Island Mental Health Counsellor for an appointment by calling 1-250-588-6813

1. Contact your health care provider

2. Contact the BC Government’s Help Starts Here program at https://helpstartshere.gov.bc.ca/ for information on Support Groups, Counselling and other services

Always call 911. Mayne Island is fortunate to have a qualified team of first responders. When you initiate a 911 call, the Ambulance crew is dispatched and the on-call physician is notified. The Physician on call provides emergency support for Mayne, Pender and Galiano Islands. Depending on availability, BC Ambulance services evacuates patients to the nearest hospital in Victoria via ferry, water taxi or helicopter.

For information on prevention, risks, symptoms and treatment refer to the following Canadian Government site https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/flu-influenza.html

• 1. The Canadian Government has a comprehensive directory on Harm Reduction and Overdose prevention services. It’s a great resource and can be viewed here

• Naloxone Saves Lives! Naloxone kits are available at the Health Centre and the Ambulance station. Training sessions on how to recognize the signs and symptoms of an overdose are available from the community paramedic at the Ambulance Station. Always have a Naloxone Kit with you.

• GetCheckedOnline is an online service that offers testing for sexually transmitted and bloodborne infections. This service is offered through the BC Centre for Disease Control

• Self screening for the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is now available in BC. Kits are available at the Health Centre or can be ordered directly from the BC Centre for Disease Control and will be mailed to your home. See here

• Who is eligible for self collection cervical screening? All women and people with a cervix aged 25– 74

The answer to this question and many other related questions are available from the BC Cancer Agency

The Canadian Cancer Society recommends that men talk to their doctor about the potential benefits and risks of prostate cancer screening at about age 50. Men with higher risk may wish to discuss the need for screening at a younger age.

Some things that put men at a higher risk include:

Being of African descent, having a father or brother who had prostate cancer before age 65, knowing that a gene change, such as BRCA, runs in his family.

For more information: https://tinyurl.com/ysamja6k

Through the Capital Regional District (CRD) at https://tinyurl.com/5dkhjttj and our Volunteer Mayne Island Emergency Program

• You can access your complete health records through the BC Government Health Gateway Portal

• Or, if you are looking for laboratory results you can search on either the LifeLabs portal or the Island Health portal