High Complexity Care Team (HCCT)
Direct Line to Team: 250-940-5692
- HCCT Medical Director: Dr. Spencer Cleave
- HCCT and PCN Psychiatrist: Dr. Amanda Pitcher
- Physicians: Dr. Diana Hammond, Dr. Glen Manders
- Nurse Practitioner: Lindsey Strang NP
- HCCT and PCN Social Worker: Lynn Simonson
- MOAs: Colleen and Kendra
"A Team Based, Patient Medical Home"
The High Complexity Care Team (HCCT) is an innovative program of the Western Communities Primary Care Network (PCN). It has been formed in partnership with Island Health, the Ministry of Health and the South Island Division of Family Practice. The team consists of multi-disciplinary professionals dedicated to serving patients with complex health needs in the Esquimalt, Westshore and Sooke areas. We accept patients of all ages who meet our referral criteria. Health care professionals and clinic or hospital administrators may refer new patients using the form below. We also accept consultations from other family physicians.
HCCT MEMBERS
Dr. Spencer Cleave, HCCT Medical Director
Dr. Cleave is a family physician, hospitalist and the founder and Physician Lead of the High Complexity Care Team: a team-based patient medical home for patients with highly-complex medical needs based at Eagle Creek. Dr. Cleave trained in medical school at UBC's Vancouver Campus followed by family medicine residency in the Victoria program. He has worked as a rural family physician in a variety of remote settings throughout western Canada and the North. Dr. Cleave has also practiced as a rural emergency physician, critical care associate and most recently a hospitalist physician at Victoria General Hospital. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and sons and maintaining a career as a professional musician in Victoria.
Dr. Amanda Pitcher, Psychiatrist
Dr. Amanda Pitcher was born and raised in Ontario, Canada. She attended the University of Western Ontario where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Next, she spent a year working in Montreal at the Douglas Hospital in a psychiatry research lab before entering medical school at Queen’s University in Kingston, ON. She graduated in 2008 and then completed a residency program in psychiatry at the University of Toronto. Dr. Pitcher enjoys travel and has done locum work in New Zealand. She has been living and working in Victoria since 2014, first as a consultant Psychiatrist at VGH and later at the outpatient CARES clinic. Dr. Pitcher’s outside of work interests include music and the outdoors, often enjoyed with her husband and daughter. Her practice with the High Complexity Care team is currently full.
Lindsey Strang, Nurse Practitioner
Lindsey Strang was born and raised in Victoria. She graduated nursing school in 2007 from University of Victoria. She worked for a short time in Victoria in general medicine then moved to Vancouver and spent most of her RN career working in the emergency department at Vancouver General Hospital. In 2013, she returned to school at University of British Columbia to complete the Masters of Nursing and Nurse Practitioner program. After graduating in 2016, she worked as an NP with the Thoracic Surgery team. After having her second child, she and her family decided to move back to Victoria. She started with the High Complexity Care Team in August of 2019. In her off time she enjoys hikes, gardening and playing outside with her family.
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Dr. Diana Hammond, Family Physician
Dr. Hammond grew up in the lower mainland and entered medical school after a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry at the University of British Columbia. After medical school graduation from the University of Alberta in 2008, she did residency in Saskatoon, before moving to Calgary, working as a Hospitalist and family physician locum. In 2012, Dr. Hammond moved with her husband to Victoria, and has worked as a Hospitalist and family physician ever since. In her spare time she enjoys exploring the outdoors with her family and gardening.
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Lynn Simonson, Social Worker
Lynn has been a Social Worker since she graduated from University of Victoria in 1996 with a Bachelor of Social Work. She has lived and worked in both rural and urban settings. The decade spent in the ghost town of Sandon BC with her children were formative years. She also spent another decade serving the community of Sooke. The bulk of her practice has been on interdisciplinary teams, partnered with primary health care providers and in addressing mental health and substance use concerns. She treasures the restorative effects of nature, dogs and grandchildren.
Dr. Glen Manders, Family Physician
Dr. Glen Manders was born in Prince George and raised in Victoria. He attended medical school at UBC followed by a Family Medicine residency at the University of Calgary. Dr. Manders currently works as a Family Physician with the High Complexity Care Team and as a Hospitalist at the Royal Jubilee Hospital. When not working he enjoys music, travel (pre-Covid), gardening and spending time with his family and friends.