The new location for the St. Stephen collaborative care clinic has been announced on King Street, a little more than a month after funding was allocated.
A team of physicians, nurse practitioners (NPs), registered nurses (RNs), and other allied health professionals will run the St. Stephen Family Health Team from 210 King Street — the former Sobeys building in the Charlotte Mall.
“Space planning and renovations will begin in the new year, and once complete, will open as the new St. Stephen Family Health Team,” said a release from Horizon Health Network (HHN).
It said the space is roughly 12,000 sq. ft. and will allow the clinic to expand services, recruit health-care professionals, and take on more patients.
In November, Premier Susan Holt and Health Minister Dr. John Dornan announced $3.6 million for the new space. The announcement said the clinic had been operating out of the Charlotte County Hospital (CCH) since February, taking 310 patients off the waitlist for a family health-care provider.
It pales in comparison to the roughly 8,000 unattached patients in Charlotte County. Both Holt and Dr. Wael Saber— the clinic’s primary physician — said space has prevented them from taking on more patients and adding additional health-care workers.
St. Stephen is the first part of the county to open a collaborative care clinic, with the Holt government promising 30 over the next four years — this being one of ten announced within the first 18 months of the Liberal mandate.
The Courier has reached out to the Department of Health for comment and is awaiting a response.
Another clinic is expected to open in Blacks Harbour this year. Recently, HHN announced its Fundy Health Centre would be opening an access clinic similar to the one established in St. Stephen — which sees non-urgent patients for their medical needs in order to divert them from the emergency department.
It would offer same-day or next-day care. The access clinic opened for appointments on Jan. 5.
St. Andrews is also expected to see its Wellness Centre inside the W.C. O’Neill Arena Complex transition to a collaborative clinic. Recently, the town council signed a memorandum of understanding with HHN for renovations to allow the clinic to operate a blood-work lab in exchange for continuing to provide the clinic — and its practitioners — free space.
In November, Dornan said the government was close to announcing St. Andrews.
