Today, the Honourable Tom Osborne, Minister of Health and Community Services, announced that two urgent care centres will open in the St. John’s metro region. The new urgent care centres will create more timely access to urgent care and reduce strain on emergency departments.
NL Health Services has awarded a contract for a lease valued at approximately $1.2 million annually to Morgan Group of Companies for 12,398 square feet of space to be constructed at 840 Topsail Road, near the intersection of Blackmarsh Road and Topsail Road in Mount Pearl.
A second contract has been awarded by NL Health Services for a lease valued at approximately $900,000 to Newfoundland and Labrador Health Alliance for 11,572 square feet of space at the former Costco Building, 28 Stavanger Drive, St. John’s. Services at both locations will continue to be publicly funded health care and provided by professionals employed by NL Health Services.
Part of the Provincial Government’s plan to create a more efficient health care system based on the recommendation of Health Accord NL, the two new urgent care centres will provide an additional access point of care for non-emergent patients in the metro region. The centres will ease pressures on the acute care emergency departments by treating patients presenting with urgent, non-life-threatening medical injuries and illnesses, such as:
- Sprains and strains
- New and worsening non-emergent pain
- Fever and infections
- Less serious childhood illness and injury, cuts, wound or skin conditions
More information on urgent care centres can be found here.
The Department of Health and Community Services and NL Health Services anticipate both centres opening in 2025. Both contracts are for 20 years. The Stavanger Drive location will also be the location of an ambulatory care hub for the metro region, which is also anticipated to open in 2025 and will also help improve patient flow at acute care facilities.
Budget 2024 includes a record high investment of $4.1 billion in health care to continue to improve access by creating more family care teams, recruit more health care professionals, modernize health care services and shorten wait times.
Information on tenders and requests for proposals issued and awarded by the Provincial Government and other public bodies is available by visiting www.merx.com.
Quotes
“Many of us have experienced lengthy wait times at emergency departments. Opening two new urgent care centres and the new ambulatory care centre will help people get the care they need sooner, without having to wait behind patients who need more urgent care. These centres and our family care teams are welcomed by health care professionals. With our $10-million investment this year in recruitment and retention, we look forward to adding even more staff to work at these locations.”
Honourable Tom Osborne
Minister of Health and Community Services
“Establishing these urgent care clinics in the Eastern-Urban Zone of NL Health Services marks another milestone in NL Health Service’s commitment to transforming the health-care system and improving access to services. We look forward to seeing how this model will benefit our health-care system, and we thank the Provincial Government for their support as we work to enhance health-care delivery in our province.”
Dr. Greg Browne
Senior Medical Director, NL Health Services, Eastern-Urban Zone
“As MHA for Windsor Lake, I’m pleased to see the former Costco building transformed into a new urgent care centre to serve people throughout the metro region. Everyone from young families to seniors in my district will benefit from the proximity of this new facility and I look forward to the opening in 2025.”
Honourable John Hogan
Minister of Justice and Public Safety and MHA for Windsor Lake
“This announcement of two new urgent care centres is another example of our government’s commitment to implement the recommendations of Health Accord NL. The location of these new centres, one in the east end of St. John’s and the other in Mount Pearl, enhances health care services in the broader Northeast Avalon region with improved access and increased efficiency for residents requiring care.”
Lucy Stoyles
MHA for Mount Pearl North
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Learn more
New Ambulatory Care Hub to be Established on Northeast Avalon
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