A woman is questioning Northern Health's approach to blood testing after she was referred to the Needle Exchange.
The Third Avenue clinic mostly deals with downtown clients who suffer from addiction, but is a walk-in clinic open to all.
Over Christmas Vivican Gowrie called the Health Unit for a test, but learned it no longer offers routine screening.
The five-day Sexually Transmitted Infections testing clinic closed in October but Northern Health kept the Option Health Clinic open, which is available to those under 25 once a week.
Then, in mid-January the 56-year-old Prince George resident and heart patient, made her way to what she thought was a similar clinic.
"It would have been nice to have a heads up. I think it's very very risky to be sending people down there who are not of good health," she said.
"I was horrified because I expected a clinic not a needle exchange."
She was dropped off on a handyDART and stayed until the scheduled pick up, but never ended up getting the test because the clinic had an emergency.
Gowrie said the experience was "very, very shocking" and she's not sure she'll go back for a test, describing seeing people shooting drugs nearby.
"I know that's reality but I just as soon not have to see it."
In response, Northern Health said it will reexamine how it refers, but stressed that people have a multitude of options for STI tests: including going to a personal doctor, walk in at Nechako Medical Clinic in Spruceland and Salveo Medical Clinic, the Needle Exchange clinic and Blue Pine Primary Health Care Clinic.
In January two women's clinics opened, with support from Central Interior Native Health.
"That's unfortunate that she didn't have enough information to work with," said Carolyn Bouchard, Public Health Nursing manager.
"Complaints are always a really good learning opportunity.
"It allows us to review what we can change. Certainly we have done, reviewed how we approach this information now giving it out to clients, ensuring that they understand what their options are."
The Needle Exchange will remain one of those options for local residents.
"It is a place where (patients) could gain service if they choose. It's not a referral as such, other than the fact that when people come in, ask for something and if we're not able to provide people that service, we let them know what their options are."
And Bouchard said staff have to be careful how they convey information, since it is a nonjudgmental environment.
"It's low barrier so anyone can go in."
Northern Health previously said the Health Unit clinic was underused and Bouchard said it is "undergoing a restructuring" where there is duplication.
"In the past we did provide a service where people could get STI testing," said Bouchard. "For reasons around workload issues we had to stop doing that in the fall and (the) thing being is that this is also available through your primary care physician."
"That is your best option always... They are the ones that have your best overall view of your whole health status," Bouchard added.
Walk-in clinics can do swab testing or urine tests - typically for chlamydia or gonorrhea, but - others like syphilis, hepatitis or HIV require a blood test. In those cases doctors would make a requisition for a blood test.
"They don't do blood draws," said Bouchard.
That's why the Needle Exchange can be a good choice.
"You'd only have to do one trip. You could go in, see the nurse, they would assess and draw your test there and send them to the lab," said Bouchard, because they have STI certified nurses, who can assess and complete both swabs and blood work.
Bouchard said it has seen its numbers increase since the changes to the Health Unit's STI services and Northern Health has received no other complaints.
