After Hours Services

We do not have a formal Urgent Care Clinic at Alderlea, but we try to accommodate urgent problems on a same-day basis, please see clinic policies. Serious after-hours problems that cannot wait until the next business day should be directed to the Cowichan District Hospital or to one of the many local Walk-in Clinics  in our area. These include the Duncan Family Practice at Beverly Corners, and the Valleyview Centre in Cowichan Bay. Although they are available, it would be best if you could wait and book a same day appointment in our clinic the following day as the walk in clinic does not have access to your medical record.

Emergency Contacts:

Please call 911 if you are having symptoms of a serious illness, such as a heart attack or stroke(chest pain, shortness of breath, or new onset of neurological symptoms). If you have an injury that would require immediate imaging, please go to the emergency room for assessment, as they will have on-site radiology services readily available.

Suicide Crisis Help Line 9-8-8

People across Canada can call and text 9-8-8, a new three-digit service, for help when they need it most. It is a free service that you can call or text and will never get a busy signal and someone will be there to support you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The service offers trauma-informed and culturally affirming support to anyone who is thinking of suicide, or who is worried about someone they know.  While the focus of 9-8-8 is on suicide prevention, no one who reaches out to the service will be turned away. Whoever you are, wherever you are located in Canada, by calling or texting 9-8-8 you can connect with a trained responder who’s ready to listen without judgement.

Nurses Help Line: 8-1-1

If you are not sure of the urgency, you can always call the nurses help line which is a free-of-charge provincial health information phone line available within BC at 811 for further advice or recommendations. The 811 phone line is operated by HealthLink BC, which is part of the Ministry of Health.

BC Help Line: 2-1-1

2-1-1 is a free-of-charge provincial information and advice phone line available in British Columbia. The 211 phone line can be accessed by calling or texting to find help for all of life’s challenges. It is free and confidential and available in over 240 languages and dialects. This information line is meant to connect you to your local resources anywhere in BC to assist with anything from emotional support, to shelter lists, seniors support and more. You can also search the directory of resources by going online to bc.211.ca.  

Vancouver Island Crisis Lines:

If you are in Crisis, the Vancouver Island Crisis society can be reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week free of charge at 1-888-494-3888.  They have access to a number of local resources including resources for drug and addictions services. They also have a text service at 250-800-3806 that is now available from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm from your mobile device. If you have unlimited coverage for SMS text messages with your mobile service provider, the texting service is free of charge.  If you simply need emotional support and don’t know where to go, you can call or text 211. It is a free call anywhere in BC and will put you in touch with someone who can listen and support you and direct you to the local resources you need.

Kids Help Phone:

For children and youth in need, they may have access to a professional counsellor 24 hours a day. The Canada kids help phone at 1-800-668-6868 is free, confidential, anonymous and available across Canada in both english and french. More information can be found here.