Weekend health care in this city is about to come with a new option.
The NorWest Community Health Centre is going to be holding its first weekend urgent care availability this Saturday and Sunday at their Simpson Street facility.
Traditionally clinics like the NorWest Community Health Centre are closed on the weekend, meaning people who might visit these facilities are forced to go to the hospital’s emergency department instead. NorWest CEO Wendy Talbot said the principle behind the extended availability is to ease tension from the hospital’s emergency department and to provide easier access to care.
“We have one of the busiest emergency departments in the province,” she said on Tuesday. “People don’t just get sick on weekdays, they also get sick on weekends.”
The health centre is opening urgent care, which is a similar concept to a walk-in clinic, to all residents of the district of Thunder Bay, regardless if they are members at the clinic.
Currently, it can be a hassle to find non-emergency medical attention on weekends.
“There are no other urgent care facilities open seven days a week, and Sundays are particularly difficult to find a place to go,” Talbot said.
“That increases the capacity and demand on the emergency department, so by opening on Saturday and Sunday we will be able to reduce some of that pressure.”
On site will be a nurse practitioner to address concerns that people believe requires attention, but is not dire enough for the emergency room. All cases that require emergency medical attention will be directed to the hospital.
Talbot pointed to instances where people suffer from rashes, moderate allergic reactions or children having an illness as being ideal for the program.
The health centre is receiving $265,000 in annual funding from the province to operate on both weekends and evenings.
Talbot said they are also looking down the road to expand their offerings to help relieve congestion across the health-care spectrum
“The plan is to expand to do some programming, such as foot care and other pressures the health care system is experiencing right now,” she commented.
Urgent care hours will be held from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, beginning this weekend.
