Surrey’s first city-supported clinic expands access to family doctors

Mayor Brenda Locke and Surrey city council members marked the opening of the Total Life Care (TLC) Surrey City Centre clinic, the city’s first medical clinic supported through its Community Medical Clinics Initiative. The initiative aims to help attract and retain family physicians in Surrey.

Locke said health care is not the responsibility of local governments, but Surrey’s need was too urgent to wait for solutions. She thanked Dr. Karan Grewal, TLC Medical Clinics and city staff for helping establish the clinic.

The clinic is at #210 – 10362 King George Blvd. and will seek to employ 10 doctors. Each doctor will attach to a minimum of 1,250 Surrey residents. The city provides clinic space and other support, while TLC Medical Clinics manages day-to-day operations so physicians can focus on patient care. Surrey residents seeking a family doctor will receive priority.

Corporate services general manager Joey Brar said the clinic provides a foundation for supporting up to 10 clinics across Surrey. A second clinic is anticipated to open in Newton this fall.

At the opening were Dr. Adel Helmi; Coun. Rob Stutt; TLC Medical Clinic co-founders Dr. Alexander Weinberg and Dr. Karan Grewal; Dr. Samuel Madubuike; Mayor Brenda Locke; Coun. Gord Hepner; Coun. Pardeep Kooner; Jody Friesen, director of physician services and practice sustainability for the Surrey-North Delta Division of Family Practice; and Coun. Harry Bains.