The reopening of the Port Hope Medical Walk-in Clinic is expected in July as part of a pilot project to address the primary care needs of thousands of residents in Northumberland County, Ont.
On Tuesday, the county announced it will undertake a one-year pilot of clinic services, aiming to help the more than 4,000 residents in the county who are not registered with a physician.
The walk-in clinic will be on the second floor of 99 Toronto Road and is proposed to operate Wednesdays and Fridays from 3 to 7 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
An exact reopening date in July has yet to be set. The county is partnering with Community Health Centres of Northumberland (CHCN) and others on the project.
“With a high number of unattached patients in Northumberland, it is essential that we leverage expertise and resources across partnerships to meet local needs,” said County Warden Brian Ostrander. “Together, the County and the CHCN will pilot a restoration of services via the Port Hope Medical Walk-in Clinic as a crucial step towards ensuring accessible health care for all residents.”
The county approved the reopening following a recent meeting during which Port Hope Mayor (and County deputy warden) Olena Hankivsky presented a motion to reopen the clinic.
“The momentum and support behind the reestablishment of the clinic are testament to our community’s commitment to ensuring accessible health care for all,” said Hankivsky. “We extend our heartfelt appreciation to our primary funder – the Port Hope and District Health Care Foundation — along with the Town of Cobourg, the Port Hope Rotary Club, Loyalist College, and other community partners for their generous contributions to the success of this undertaking.”
The pilot project will assess the feasibility of permanently restoring services. CHCN will assist the county with resource supports for startup planning and implementation. Recruitment of potential physicians is ongoing with “several expressions of interest.”
“The CHCN is pleased to be able to support this important initiative that will provide access to primary care services for those Northumberland residents who are currently unattached,” stated CHCH executive director Taryn Rennicks. “This walk-in clinic will provide services for medical concerns that require attention, mitigating the need for community members to visit hospital emergency departments or travel outside of the community for care.”
It is anticipated that the clinic will accommodate approximately 7,000 patient visits during the one-year pilot.
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