New Collaborative Family Practice Clinic in Eastern Passage
More people will have access to primary healthcare with a new collaborative family practice clinic in Eastern Passage.
The larger clinic, which officially opened December 4, will allow the community’s existing family practice with two nurse practitioners to expand. A mental health social worker will begin rotations next year, and Nova Scotia Health is actively recruiting for a physician to join the team.
“This clinic is good news for patients, the community and is an attractive option in our efforts to recruit and retain healthcare professionals in Nova Scotia,” said Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Barbara Adams, MLA for Eastern Passage, on behalf of Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson. “The clinic will serve the community for years to come and will help more people access the primary care they need.”
This is the first turnkey clinic to open in the community. A turnkey clinic allows healthcare providers to focus on delivering patient care, while Nova Scotia Health manages administrative aspects of the clinic.
Collaborative family practice clinics provide the care Nova Scotians need and deserve and are part of Action for Health, the government’s plan to improve healthcare.
Quotes:
“I’m very excited to be working in this beautiful new space and to support our vibrant community of Eastern Passage and the surrounding area with their healthcare needs. I am also happy to be working close to home and to be a part of this growing collaborative family practice team.”
– Erin Sarrazin, nurse practitioner, Eastern Passage Family Practice
“We are pleased to see this new facility added to our Central Zone collaborative family practice teams. This will be a great asset to the community and allow people to access care closer to home. With the new space, we are optimistic about our ability to recruit clinicians to support this team.”
– Dr. Maria Alexiadis, co-lead of the Primary Care Network and Family Medicine Practice Chief for Central Zone, Nova Scotia Health
Quick Facts:
- a collaborative clinic has at least three healthcare providers working together to care for patients
- in May, the Province announced $17 million to build and strengthen 60 clinics across the province; strengthening a clinic or team refers to increased staffing, funding and/or renovations
- the locations of the 60 new and strengthened clinics by Nova Scotia Health zone are: 12 in northern, 17 in eastern, 14 in central and 17 in western
Additional Resources:
More information on the 60 new and expanded clinics across the province is available at: https://novascotia.ca/news/docs/2023/05/10/primary-healthcare-announcement-fact-sheet.pdf
News release – New Collaborative Family Practice Clinic in Amherst: https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20230719001
Action for Health: https://novascotia.ca/actionforhealth/
Mandate letter for the Minister of Health and Wellness: https://novascotia.ca/exec_council/letters-2021/ministerial-mandate-letter-2021-DHW.pdf