Ucluelet’s outpatient medical lab will reopen this week.
Island Health announced on Friday that the lab located at 1566 Peninsula Road is set to reopen on Dec. 6.
“Consistent with previous operations, the outpatient lab will be open on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The new hours of operation will be 9:45 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m,” the announcement reads. “We are thankful to the community for their patience and understanding and look forward to serving them once again.”
Appointments can be made online at waitwhile.com/book/uclueletlab or by contacting Island Health’s laboratory call centre at 1-866-370-8355.
The lab has been closed since August due to a staffing shortage, forcing residents to travel to Tofino to access outpatient laboratory services.
“I’m just so happy that we’re going to have lab work done here instead of having to go to Tofino to have it done,” Ucluelet mayor Marilyn McEwen told the Westerly News. “It’s just going to be so nice for us to have our lab back here in Ucluelet…I’m super pleased. It’s a really great service for our community.”
She suggested funding was available to anyone needing a taxi to get to Tofino during the temporary closure.
“We don’t have a transit system, so that makes it more difficult because if you don’t own a car or if you’re elderly and you don’t drive anymore, you have to find a way to get to Tofino,” she said. “It’s going to be way more convenient to have the lab open here two days a week.”
She said a part-time lab tech position was turned into a full time position to be more attractive to applicants and added that the person who was hired has local housing.
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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