–Britt Santowski

Thanks to everyone who took the time to complete the SPN survey on Health Services in Sooke. SPN posted the survey at the request of Sooke Mayor Maja Tait.

About the survey:

• The survey was posted on April 1, and stayed live until April 8.
• During that week, there were a total of 942 responses and 1,460 comments, along with 57 comments on the original SPN article here.
• To minimize multiple submissions, the survey settings allow only one respondent per IP address.
• No personal information was collected or recorded, beyond what respondents may have volunteered in their answers.

Seven questions were asked (in bold below). Here are the overall findings:

• How is access to medical services in Sooke for you?
  More than 65% of respondents felt that access to medical services in Sooke was either poor or non-existent.
• Do you have a family physician? Here in Sooke or elsewhere?
  Less than 40% of respondents have doctor in Sooke.
• Have you needed an X-Ray recently?
  Just under 45% of respondents have required x-ray services recently.
• Was Hwy 14 a problem when you needed to get to an appointment?
  Over half of the respondents found Highway 14 to be problematic in getting to a doctor’s appointment. Of the five directed questions (the last two were open ended), this one by far had the most comments, registering 107. Second highest had 42 comments. Highway 14, it appears, is in and of itself a conversation dying to be had.
• How do you normally travel to appointments outside of Sooke?
  Transit clearly isn’t a viable option. Over 90% who travel out of town for medical services do so using their own car. There’s a certain irony in travelling a perceived unsafe road to access health care.
• Question 6 (What services are needed in Sooke?) & Question 7 (Any other input regarding healthcare in Sooke you would like to provide to the mayor?) solicited the most comments: 829 service suggestions and 406 additional comments respectively. The respondents indicate that health services improvements are a pressing issue.

Review the entire 55 page raw findings along with the 1235 additional comments inspired by questions 6 and 7 here: Health Services in Sooke. To view just the charts for questions 1-5, view this pdf: charts and summary data only.

Here are the charts of the findings and comments for questions 1 to 5.

• Long waits, short hours of operation
• I’m new and haven’t tried
• Not able to locate a doctor in Sooke.
• Not able to get doctor, have to use clinic
• Non-existent besides the pharmacy, life labs and the chiropractor
• Chattertonway
• Extremely poor in Sooke and also met with very rude staff when you try to get an appt or a doctor at the ‘clinic’.
• Also can’t get medical help elsewhere lately – have tried 3 times to access clinics after I couldn’t get in here – again
• – with no luck. Quit after 5 clinics each time.
• I use the clinic if there’s an emergency but it can be difficult to use if it’s full for the day. We usually wait, if we
• can, to go to Langford.
• Use Lifelabs every 6 weeks
• I found the services of Westcoast Clinic administratively inefficient.
• its terrible out here
• No doctor’s taking patients, just a walk in clinic
• It’s good if you can get an appointment but nothing really for emergencies
• Existing doctors are great, but over worked. Hard to get services when needed.
• abysmal…our doctor retired and my wife has psychological needs that can’t be met with a walk in clinic
• I don’t use the services in Sooke. However, if I did I would say they are poor. Urgent clinic does not have enough hours neither does the x-ray facility.
• Yes, but two week wait for doctor’s appointment
• Optometrist only here
• Optometrist only here
• Optometrist only here
• Hard to say my Doctor is in Sooke but I very rarely see him. I dont even bother with the clinic in Sooke if i need to see a doctor urgently I drive into Langford instead
• ok for referrals elsewhere.
• Terrible
• Since we have a family doc and used a midwife, it’s good for basic care. Poor for emergencies or specialist/lab/etc
• No doctor
• Unable to get a family physician, we only use urgent care. Access to UC is good.
• I go elsewhere because after hours care is always booked
• After having a baby, I have been disappointed with the hours the health nurses offer for immunizations. They are only open two days a week currently, and both my husband and I work in Saanich on those days. Driving 30
• minutes each way to Langford to a place with severely limited parking is disappointing and expensive.
• The hours are not convenient when you live in Port Renfrew.
• Im very happy with the services of the clinic however…
• So poor that you are forced to go elsewhere. Terrible!
• We need Xray place
• depends on what you are talking about . . . I have a doctor in Sooke so it is very easy to get in to see her. If you’re asking about all other medical services it is non-existent, we have to go elsewhere
• I drive to hillside mall to see my dr.
• I am 70 years old and recently had to drive myself into Colwood to a walk-in clinic, waited 3.5 hours to find out I had pneumonia.
• Except for the pharmacy.
• Deplorable. Turned away. Insulted. We are an upper class family whom gets treated like street folk whom are meerly drug seeking.
• Evergreen does not stick to their lowered schedule and have unrealistic walk in times when they do offer services.
• Absolutely horrible
• Cant get a dr clinic is always to full
• My dr is in Langford and after hours in Sooke are always full or closed early.
• Question is hard to answer – what medical services?
• I’ve lived in Sooke for 3 years and haven’t even made it onto a waiting list for a family doctor. I flew to Germany last year and saw 17 different doctors in 2 weeks. It was cheaper and faster. (I’m not joking!)

• Had one in Oak bay (never lived in Oak bay), he retired this month. Now I don’t.
• I need to travel to fairfield.. its terrible
• I have one but hubby does not. Hubby has hypoglycaemia and bad kidneys . Needs a dr! We had to go to er for dr . 🙁
• I had two retire in the last four years and now I am unable to find one
• Canadian Armed Forces
• Victoria
• After 8 years in Sooke we finally got a family doctor but for our kids only.
• I have one but rarely can see him, as he’s so busy!
• Metchoshin
• It took 9 years on a wait list!
• Yes, only because our parents had a doctor before we moved here
• We were told 6 years ago when we moved here with our 1 yr old that we woulf be put on “the list”. We have never been called and were forced to seek a doctor in the Westshore. Fortunately a retiring doctor felt sorry for us (after a call from a friend) and he took us into his practice and since we have been accepted by the new Dr who came in to that practice.
• Downtown victoria
• I have a GP but she is in Broadmead which means I have to take time off work to get there!
• I have a doctor elsewhere, but it’s only through a miracle that I have one. No one in my family has a doctor, but me.
• Victoria
• Family physician elsewhere but it takes 2-3 weeks to get appt
• I was able to get a family doctor (through nepotism). Without a family favour involved, I wouldn’t have one.
• We do in town but he’s retiring.
• I see a GP at a walk in clinic in Langford
• I use the clinic but after 5 years I still have not been able to get a regular doctor.
• important to note: I have a family physician here in Sooke that I can never get in to see
• My GP is an hours+ drive from my house
• I have a family physician but was on the wait list for 4 years and then coincidently a doctor I knew from a different town moved here and agreed to be my doctor. If not for that lucky break I believe I would still be on the wait list.
• My Dr only works part time. Very difficult making appointments
• My family drives to Nanaimo.
• I still go to Langley to see my old doctor
• The waiting lists are so long, I’ll be dead by the time I’m on the list.
• Westshore
• Mine is in Victoria but retiring so need a sooke doctor

• In the past
• but I have had an mri, and an ultrasound.
• Bone scan
• had to travel three times in 8 weeks for updated Xrays.
• MRI
• 3
• Have twice in 6 years
• I’m still waiting for a phone call from Sooke clinic for an ultra sound date. I’ve been waiting almost a month for a date to go.
• Husband
• 12 months ago
• 3 years ago I did
• My son did and it was suggested by the doctor at the clinic in Sooke that we take him to the ER.
• Yes, after I had a possible broken foot. Taking the bus in to Langford with a potentially broken foot was painful and stressful.
• MRI
• Cannot use the facility in Sooke – always closed.
• and had to go to Victoria all 4 times !
• not sure what is recent but the last 2 times I have needed an xray the dr. sent me to Colwood for a better quality picture
• Had it done else where do to lack of services
• My 5 year old son has
• My son has needed one
• Needed ultrasound and ctscan
• My daughter did need one
• Needed x-rays for my immigration process, got them done in Vic.

• Accidents on the road can block the way to appts and hispital services.
• Road construction
• It was more like hwy 14 and all the roads from Sooke to Oak bay
• Traffic is getting much busier on Sooke Road. Getting harder and harder to turn off Connie Road in the last few years.
• One accuse can shut down the only road in & out of Sooke. My daughter was in labor & Hwy 14 closed both directions. She ended up calling an ambulance. Dad couldn’t get thru for a long time. More often than not heavy traffic causes travelling delays.
• Accident closing the road.
• Accident blocks road
• Traffic delays meant I was late; fortunately, I was still able to get in.
• Accidents have held the bus I’ve missed appointments
• I am retired and live in Sooke so Hwy 14 is not a problem for me but for the majority,it is.
• I work in town and the traffic coming into Sooke is always very busy
• My appointment was at 7am and there was an accident
• traffic and time it takes to get to victoria is so much hard to cope with when feeling sick or injured.
• Due to poor driving conditions as a result of winter weather.
• An accident prevented me from getting to my appointment.
• If I have a medical appointment in Victoria, it pretty much takes the whole day.
• Traffic, construction, accidents
• Traffic
• I make sure I give myself 1.5 hours to get to my Dr. in downtown Victoria. Also 1.5 hrs to get back to Spoke all appointments I make during non rush hour times.
• Have missed appointment due to road closures after an MVI
• accidents. Construction. Volume of traffic.
• Too long and windy. Accident hold up on the way home.
• Slow drivers
• always have to leave with extra time involved
• I have to use the bus
• Yes, terrible road conditions, esp winter or dark
• I live in East Sooke turning off Gillespie is a nightmare
• Hwy 14 is always a concern, since it’s just not a safe road.
• the Highway is no problem between Sooke and Happy Valley Road. After that, it is an issue.
• Always a problem , we need a better road
• I give myself lots of time
• Traffic delays
• At times
• Always late for my appointments because of delays on the road
• We were late for my mothers chemo appointment because the road was closed yet again.
• Car accident closed the road.
• Heavy, high volume traffic caused delays
• Accident closed road
• Too far for emergency care, wife had to call ambulance for gallbladder attack
• Traffic incidents have caused us to be late 6 out of 10 appts in last 12 months. To resched, we have to wait weeks.
• Traffic jam
• Needed to be at an appt at the Jubilee, got stuck in an accident. Made me late, had to rebook appt.
• Traffic/ accidents
• Traffic affected by accidents
• Traffic affected by accidents
• Traffic affected by accidents
• Late due to construction.
• Power Washing the bridge
• It was definitely concerning when in labour
• You never know when there will be a holdup (accident, construction).
• I have to drive on it to access services I ought to be able to access in Sooke so yes that is a problem
• Getting to ferry and airport on time
• Road is closed often only way into sooke
• there was an accident closing hwy 14 I could not get home after a hospital stay
• More highway 1 and the colwood crawl.
• Accident, and I was late!
• Traffic delays resulting in missed appointments even though I always plan to arrive 1/2 early at them.
• Not always
• Yes, had to be in Victoria for a 7am health appt so had to leave Sooke early and drive in traffic.
• Constant roadwork. Distance, time
• Accidents
• Accident when needed to be at the Jubilee for cardiac testing
• Car accident
• Twice I had to try and schedule Telehealth appointments and was told both times there was no availability to have it in Sooke. It required long drives into Victoria to go to Royal Jubilee Hospital.
• Can’t drive it in the dark
• Yes construction and an accident good thing it was not life and death!!
• Have had multiple times with delays trying to get to GP (in Sidney) and trying to get stitches for my child
• No detour route when road is closed!
• Yes, in that it’s a long drive to get to the Wale Rd. clinic to see a health nurse for a routine baby check-up that I was willing to books months ahead.
• I live in Port Renfrew and I’m finding I need to spend the night in Victoria so I can go to early morning appointments. I’m finding as I get older the early morning drive is hard on me.
• It was during rush hour and there was an accident which caused delays
• Yes, traffic doubles in Summer and with the community growing traffic has now become a regular event.
• impossible to determine how much time is needed to travel out to Royal Jubilee or a specialist in Victoria with highway construction going on at McKenzie and other various locations – with or without prior notice! either there way too early or running late!!!
• its never cause me to miss an appointment however the lines need to pe painted with paint that stays. i realize they have answered with thsts the new paint basocally. however drive past the new fire hall in view royla lately? they paints with the good paint when they redid that area
• I missed an appt because the road was closed
• Had to drive to St Anthonys xray with a very sore back
• Weather , accidents that shut down the highway for hours
• Arrived late (after 90 minute commute in car), so had to wait over an hour for the next availability. But thankfully I could still see my doctor!
• MVA and i was late for my appt.
• I had an appointment at Vic General and was delayed because of a car accident.
• I have had to travel to get an mri and found traffic backed up and almost ran late for my appointment. Concern of a traffic jam/accident on Sooke Road, is a big concern because there isn’t any alternative routes of the accidents/jams occure before Gillispie Rd.
• Accidents on the road
• Hwy 14 is poorly maintained. Driving in the dark, in the rain, to get to emergency I couldn’t see the lines on the road, and hit some major potholes.
• Have missed multiple appointments due to accidents.
• Traffic time and disability
• Accident or emergency
• Traffic and poor condition of the road
• I had to cancel my appointment twice due to the weather and accidents on Sooke road.
• Traffic
• Traffic and accidents.
• Just enough to almost make me miss my appointment.
• Takes about an hour to get to cardiac appts At Royal Jubilee
• Long painful drive when you need emergency.
• Even with allowing extra time for traffic, lateness is a common issue due the the road and accidental or congestion
• Is Highway 14 ever not a problem?
• So far so good. No road closures at the time
• missed appointments when road is closed or delayed
• accident
• Accident delayed leaving Sooke area, was late for an appointment at RJH.
• Traffic accident
• Almost did not make it in time for day surgery because a crash at 17 miles pub.
• I don’t drive and I had a very early appointment at the hospital. My mom had to take the morning off work to drive me.
• Always add extra travel time for accidents, road work, heavy traffic etc.
• Hwy wasn’t the issue. Just the length of time to take a child who was hurt to a walk in clinic in langford instead of
• Sooke since no medical services available in sooke
• When there was snow
• Long ride
• Traffic delays

• Parents car
• Motorcycle
• I don’t anymore. Can’t handle getting stuck for long periods.
• AMBLE
• Handi-Dart
• all the above except taxi
• I drive my critically ill family member
• Purchased a car last year as I needed something to get family to appointments.
• I borrow a vehicle from adult daughter.
• daughter has to take me
• Husband drives.

For the data answers for Question 6 (What services are needed in Sooke? 829 service suggestions ) & Question 7 (Any other input regarding healthcare in Sooke you would like to provide to the mayor? 406 additional comments), please refer to the 55 page raw report here: Health Services in Sooke.

To view just the charts for questions 1-5, view this pdf: charts and summary data only.