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Health Connect Registry, Nanaimo

Last updated: August 2, 2023

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We acknowledge with gratitude that we live on the traditional unceded territories of the Snuneymuxw and Snaw-Naw-As First Nations.

The Health Connect Registry is working with clinics in Nanaimo and the surrounding area to connect people with a family doctor or nurse practitioner. (You can visit the Gabriola Island community page for more information if you live there).

If you live in B.C. and need a primary care provider, you can register for the Health Connect Registry. You can also register your family members or a person in your care.

To register, you’ll need to provide your Personal Health Number, B.C. home address and contact information.

Once registered, you will be contacted directly when a primary care provider is available

Register Now

Access to a family doctor or nurse practitioner in Nanaimo will be limited by the number of providers accepting patients. The registry will help to coordinate your connection to a family doctor or nurse practitioner when one becomes available. It will also help us to understand how many people do not have a provider and inform current primary care planning.

Once registered and when a family doctor or nurse practitioner is available, you will be contacted directly. While local efforts to attract new family doctor and nurse practitioners are underway, we are currently experiencing a shortage in Nanaimo. At this time, we cannot provide an estimated wait time.

We would like to thank you for your patience while you wait to be attached. In the interim, we suggest that you connect with the community services below that best support your needs.

Emergency or Immediate Care

If you have a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 or go to your closest emergency department.

Walk-In Clinics

  • Nanaimo has an Urgent and Primary Care Centre located in the Medical Arts Clinic that provides walk-in appointments Monday to Friday (8 am to 9 pm) and weekends and holidays (9 am to 6 pm): #103 – 650 Terminal Avenue, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5E2. You can check waiting times on MediMap.

Other Urgent Supports

  • Vancouver Island crisis line: 1-888-494-3888 (available 24 hours); provides a supportive listening ear for people in emotional distress and connection to emergency mental health services when needed.
  • Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 (available 24 hours); e-mental health service offering free, confidential support to young people in English and French.
  • First Nations KUU-US Aboriginal crisis line: 1-800-588-8717 (available 24 hours); a resource for suicide prevention for Indigenous People living on Vancouver Island.
  • Métis Crisis Line:1-833-638-4722 (available 24 hours); a resource for immediate crisis intervention for Métis people, but also a variety of other issues like relationship troubles, depression and anxiety, financial issues, and bullying and peer pressure support.
  • First Nations Health Authority Virtual Doctor of the Day: 1-855-344-3800 (toll-free); 7 days/week, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm; provides virtual appointments for First Nations people.

Mental Health & Substance Use Resources

  • Nanaimo Drop-in Crisis Counselling Clinic: offers single session crisis focused counselling. Located in Brooks Landing Mall at #203-2000 Island Highway, Nanaimo, BC V9S 5W3. Clinic hours: Monday to Friday, 10 am to 5:15 pm. Call 250-739-5710 for more information.
  • Nanaimo Drop-in Intake Services: offers information and determines appropriate referral to mental health and/or substance use services (such as detox, individual and group counselling). Located in Brooks Landing Mall at #203-2000 Island Highway, Nanaimo, BC V9S 5W3. Hours: Monday to Friday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Call 250-739-5710 for more information.
  • First Nations & Inuit Hope for Wellness Counselling Services: 1-855-242-3310 (available 24 hours); offers immediate mental health counselling and crisis intervention to all Indigenous peoples across Canada.
  • Nanaimo Mental Health & Substance Use Services Resource Sheet
  • Toxic Drug Alerts: Free, real-time, anonymous text messaging service for anyone to receive toxic drug alerts or share information about toxic drugs in their community; people can get other information by text message, like where to find naloxone or how to get drugs tested. To sign up, text the word JOIN to 253787.

Other Healthcare Resources and Supports

  • Prescription Refills: Pharmacists can help you with an emergency prescription. Please visit the HealthLink BC Directory to find a pharmacy nearby.
  • Call 8-1-1 (available 24 hours): Speak to a health service navigator who can help you find health information and services, or connect you directly with a registered nurse, a registered dietitian, a qualified exercise professional, or a pharmacist.
  • Gender-Affirming Health and Wellness:1-866-999-1514 (toll-free); health navigation team that works alongside service providers and community contacts from across the province to help people find trans health care and support as close to home as possible.

Local Sexual Health, Pregnancy, Maternity, Youth, and Early Childhood Resources

Health and Social Services Directories

  • HealthLink BC Services Directory
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  • Nanaimo Fetch: Website with information for programs and resources in the Nanaimo region, including health services, mental health/counselling supports, substance use and addictions, children, youth, and families supports, and more.

About Primary Care Networks and the Health Connect Registry

PCNs (Primary Care Networks) are community-based networks of health care professionals and clinics who plan and deliver all day-to-day health care needs of a community. Within these networks, teams of providers work together. This way, patients receive better care, by the right person, at the right time, closer to home.

PCNs are part of the Province's Primary and Community Care Strategy to make sure you have faster and better access to the everyday health care services.

The Health Connect Registry is part of this strategy. The Registry works with communities to help match patients with a regular family doctor or nurse practitioner. We know that having a regular provider leads to better health for you and your family.

Update Your Information

Keeping information on the Health Connect Registry up to date is important. This will help us connect you to a family doctor or nurse practitioner. If you need to update information on the Health Connect Registry for yourself, your family or person in your care, please contact HealthLink BC by dialing 8-1-1, or for the deaf and hard of hearing, dialing 7-1-1.

A HealthLink BC health service navigator will ask you for your Personal Health Number. If you are updating information on behalf of your family or a person in your care, you will require their Personal Health Number to make an update.

Information on the Health Connect Registry can only be updated by phone at this time.

The content and resources included on this webpage have been jointly created and curated by the Nanaimo Primary Care Network and HealthLink BC.