Positive health care news for thousands of residents of St. Thomas and Elgin county.
A new primary care clinic is opening Monday in St. Thomas and appointments are now available.
The Elgin Community Health Hub at 230 First Avenue will fill a gap for about 10,000 individuals without a primary care provider, explains Jill Strong, executive director of the Thames Valley Family Health Team.
Services include health checks, prenatal care, vaccinations, prescription renewals, cancer screening, upper respiratory infections and connection to community supports.
It fills a crucial gap in healthcare for residents of St. Thomas and Elgin county, stressed Jill Strong.
Earlier this year, the Thames Valley Family Health Team was the recipient of $961,000 in provincial funding to address critical healthcare needs in St. Thomas and Elgin county.
The team began working with community partners to establish the clinic to serve residents without access to primary health care, something of paramount importance noted Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP Rob Flack.
Strong explains the process to book an appointment.
Recruitment continues for more interdisciplinary healthcare professionals for the clinic and Strong adds the hope is to secure funding for additional clinics to serve rural areas of Elgin county.
Last month at one of the pop-up cancer screening clinics held prior to the official opening, we spoke with Andrea Hunt about the role and value of nurse practitioners such as herself.
“Nurse practitioners are such an asset to the healthcare system. We can have such an impact and make such a difference for people.
“We can diagnose, we can write prescriptions, we collaborate with your specialist, order your imaging and, if need be, we can consult with our physician partners.”
Hunt detailed the services available through the Thames Valley Family Health Team.
“There are quite a few clinics at Thames Valley Family Health Team. We are kind of dispersed around London, Ilderton, St. Thomas, Strathroy-Caradoc, and Woodstock.
“We are kind of everywhere and we actually amalgamate all into professional disciplines. We have dieticians, occupational therapists, social workers, nurses and respiratory therapists.”
She touched on the challenges rural residents face in obtaining healthcare services.
“It is very challenging for so many reasons. Is there transportation to access? It’s making people aware that we are there.
“We don’t have to fit in that square box. We can think outside and make these pop-up clinics so that we’re reaching people who maybe otherwise wouldn’t have access.”
For more information, call 519-473-0530 ext. 2258 or visit thamesvalleyfht.ca.
