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Galiano Health Care Centre 908 Burrill Road Galiano Island, BC Phone:  (250) 539-3230 Fax:  (250) 539-3238 Mailing Address:  S4 C19, RR#1 Galiano Island, BC, V0N 1P0

If you need an Ambulance call 911

Opening Hours

The Health Care Centre clinic office is open for booking appointments and seeing a doctor most weekdays between 9 am to 12 noon and 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm.
The office is closed weekends and statutory holidays.

Because the clinic days vary for booking appointments, you should phone the Health Care Centre for up-to-date information 539-3230.

Dr. David Beaver currently offers General Practitioner Services in the Galiano Health Care Centre. Check Dr. Beaver's calendar for the days he is available for appointments. Phone the Health Care Centre 539-3230 for up-to-date information.



Out of Hours Contact Information

"Out of hours" primary health care services are available to residents and visitors on all four of the "Outer Gulf Islands".

These health services are consistent with the rural, remote nature of the islands.  A range of options is available, including emergency first aid provided by ambulance crews, registered nurses and the services of general practitioners.  Treatment rooms are equipped with the basic supplies and medications necessary to treat primary care patients on the islands or, in the case of more complex needs, to stabilize them before transfer.

Usually when a doctor is unavailable, a nurse with special training in accordance with approved protocols, called a "First Call Nurse", is available to handle urgent health problems. The nurse will liaise with off-island physicians for instructions and may transfer the patient to hospital if directed.

If required, patients are sent by water taxi or air transfer to a hospital on Salt Spring Island, Victoria or Vancouver.

Call 539-3230 at any time to find out how to access health services. If the office is closed there will always be an up to date voice mail message on 539-3230 giving a pager number to call. When you phone the pager you will have to key in your own phone number and then hang up.

Please only call the pager if you have an urgent problem that can't wait until the next normal office day. The doctor or nurse will phone you back within 15 minutes and arrange to meet you if necessary. If no one has called you back in 20 minutes, please try the pager number again.

Cell phones are unreliable on Galiano. IF THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE, PLEASE DO NOT USE YOUR CELL PHONE TO PAGE THE CLINIC. It may be difficult for the doctor or nurse to return your call because of signal problems.



BC Nurse's Line

Toll Free in BC: 1-866-215-4700

Available 24 hours each day is a free 24 hours a day, 7 days a week service; available for all people of British Columbia for information and advice regarding health concerns.
Translation services available in 130 languages.

The BC Nurse Website offers a wealth of information.



Local Hospitals

Royal Jubilee Hospital, Victoria: 1-250-370-8000

Victoria General Hospital, Victoria: 1-250-727-4212

Saanich Peninsula Hospital, Sidney: 1-250-652-3911

Lady Minto Hospital, Salt Spring Island: 1-250-538-4800



Poison Control Centre

Toll Free in BC: 1-800-567-8911



Vancouver Island Health Authority

Website

Health Care Services

For all information on Health Care Services available at the Galiano Health Care Centre, please call:  539-3230

History of the Galiano Health Care Centre

Galiano Island is fortunate to have 24 hour, 7 days a week health services provided by a resident physician and registered nurse operating out of a health centre. In the early days, there was no on-island care and residents and visitors had to go to Mayne or Salt Spring Island. By the 1930's, physicians first from Mayne, and later from Salt Spring, came to Galiano to hold biweekly clinics in private homes. From the mid 50's on, medical help was provided by retired doctors on island operating out of their residences.

The Galiano Health Care Centre was opened in April, 1991 to offer accommodation for health care professionals on-island and to encourage them to locate there. It is a 2360 sq. ft building sitting on 1.9 acres and includes physician offices, a treatment room, space for other health professionals, reception area and meeting space. It also houses a loan cupboard for medical equipment which can be borrowed by residents. The Centre has ample parking space for patients and emergency vehicles and an adjoining helicopter pad for use in emergencies.

The Health Centre was built by the community of Galiano through the Galiano Health Care Society, a non profit society, which was incorporated in 1985. The Society negotiated with various government agencies to obtain permits, approvals and grants, purchased the land, raised the necessary funds, obtained grants from the government and oversaw the building of the Centre. In the end, the Centre cost $285,000; $265,000 was raised by the community and $20,000 provided by government grants.

The Society continues to manage, maintain and improve the Health Centre. As well the Society organizes much of the health related education that takes place on Galiano by means of making literature available at the Centre, providing articles to the Active Page (the Galiano monthly magazine) and free public seminars. Members of the Board sit on the Southern Gulf Island Community Health Advisory Committee and the Southern Gulf Islands Home Support Society.

The Society receives no tax revenue, although it does receive grants from time to time, and depends on rents from health care providers, donations, bequests, membership fees and fundraising to provide the necessary funds. The major fund raising events are the St. Patrick's Day Dinner and Dance in March and the Wine Festival in August.

[ Health Care Services ]   [ History of the Centre ]   [ Wine Festival Fundraiser ]

Copyright 1999
Photographs courtesy of Galiano Health Care Society & Cedar Place Website Services