Digby Collaborative Family Practice Team Expands
More people in Digby County now have access to primary healthcare with the addition of nine new healthcare professionals to the Digby Collaborative Family Practice team.
Based out of the Digby and Area Health Services Centre, the team also runs clinics in Weymouth and Bear River and supports the clinic at Islands Health Centre in Freeport.
“Patients and their families are already seeing a difference in the care they and their loved ones receive with a larger, more diverse healthcare team,” said Labour, Skills and Immigration Minister Jill Balser, MLA for Digby-Annapolis, on behalf of Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson. “For many residents of Digby County, this means more primary healthcare services closer to home.”
Since March, four family physicians, two nurse practitioners, a registered nurse, a licensed practical nurse and a pharmacist have joined the team. Previously, the team included one family physician, two nurse practitioners, two registered nurses, a kinesiologist and clerical support.
Collaborative family practice teams provide the care Nova Scotians need and deserve and are part of Action for Health, the government’s plan to improve healthcare.
Quotes:
“Coming from a small town myself, I recognize the importance of security in knowing healthcare is accessible. I appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with the Bear River and Area Community Health Clinic and am eager to develop professional working relationships with residents as one of their care partners.”
– Jaimlyn Wheatley, nurse practitioner, Digby Collaborative Family Practice
“The primary care service that is provided to the Weymouth community has been very well received, as it is accessible and barrier free. I have received messages from the people of Weymouth who have come to the clinic for primary care that they are glad that the clinic is open again and appreciate that we are providing primary care weekly.”
– Daphne Demaine, nurse practitioner, Digby Collaborative Family Practice
“We are so pleased to be able to offer more services to residents at their local clinic in Bear River. We have always worked hard to provide a range of health and wellness services at our clinic, and the addition of these new providers will certainly be welcomed by the community.”
– Shirley Isles, board Chair, Bear River and Area Community Health Clinic
Quick Facts:
- other options to access primary care in the area include the mobile primary health care clinic, the community pharmacy primary care clinic in Digby and the Annapolis Urgent Treatment Centre
- a collaborative family practice team 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
Mandate letter for the Minister of Health and Wellness: https://novascotia.ca/exec_council/letters-2021/ministerial-mandate-letter-2021-DHW.pdf