Media Advisory

Wednesday, January 8, 2003

LHSC Family Medical Centre celebrates milestone in Hamilton Road community

(LONDON, Ontario) The Victoria Family Medical Centre, based in the Hamilton Road Community, has been providing comprehensive health care to Londoners for 30 years. The centre was set up in 1972 and was one of the first health care programs in Canada to offer community-based, multidisciplinary, primary health care.

Another reason for the celebration is the arrival of Dr. Jo-Anne Hammond who will be moving her London practice to the centre.

The health care team is comprised of family physicians, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and a physiotherapist. The physicians provide health care to their patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and they make house calls.

The Victoria Family Medical Centre, along with the Byron Family Medical Centre, is part of Family Medicine at London Health Sciences Centre, and is affiliated with the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Western Ontario. As such, the centre also provides education and training in family medicine and other health care disciplines.

The celebration will feature a presentation by Order of Canada member and Professor Emeritus of the Department of Family Medicine, University of Western Ontario, Dr. Ian McWhinney. Representatives of LHSC and UWO, and local politicians will also be on hand to celebrate the milestone.

The media are invited to attend the centre's open house and anniversary celebration.

Date:	Thursday, January 9, 2003
Time:	4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Location:	Victoria Family Medical Centre 60 Chesley Avenue (between Rectory and Egerton)