Access to care at Clare Health Centre increasing through expansion and new community partnership

The healthcare team at Clare Health Centre will grow thanks to a renewed partnership between Nova Scotia Health, the Municipality of the District of Clare and the health centre.

“More than 4,000 people in Clare, Weymouth and Digby will have the opportunity to become attached to a primary care provider over the span of two years,” reads a media release from Nova Scotia Health. “There are currently 3,884 people on the Need a Family Practice Registry in Clare, Digby and Weymouth.”

An expansion of the Clare Health Centre is underway to accommodate the growing healthcare team and the recruitment of new providers. Nova Scotia Health says an updated memorandum of agreement with the Municipality of the District of Clare will see Nova Scotia Health provide a monthly operational grant to support the expanded Clare Health Centre and enhanced access to primary healthcare services in the region.

An event marking the partnership was held on Jan. 15.

“The Clare Health Centre has always been an outstanding example of a team that embraces creative, community-led solutions to improve healthcare for local citizens,” said Tanya Nixon, Western Zone Vice President, Nova Scotia Health. “This new arrangement with the Municipality of Clare will build upon our strong relationship with the Clare Health Centre team to allow more residents of Clare, Weymouth and Digby to have access to primary care providers.”

Dr. Michelle Dow, the Medical Director of Clare Health Centre, added, “We are excited about how this new arrangement will enhance our recruitment and retention efforts of physicians and other healthcare providers to our area.”

“At the same time, it will allow us to expand the care our team provides while continuing to focus on the training and education of new healthcare providers,” she said.

The Municipality of the District of Clare opened the Clare Health Centre in 2008. A memorandum of agreement between the municipality and Nova Scotia Health has been in place since 2018.

“The Municipality of Clare is proud to officially announce the expansion of the Clare Health Centre (CHC) in partnership with the Province of Nova Scotia,” said Yvon LeBlanc, Warden for the Municipality of District of Clare.

“The CHC boasts an exemplary service delivery model and is proud to offer healthcare services in both official languages,” he said. “We would like to thank all our partners who play an instrumental role in the centre’s success, including the practising physicians and staff of the CHC, Nova Scotia Health, the Clare Health Centre Foundation and Université Sainte-Anne, which contributes to the successful recruitment of our physicians.”

Warden LeBlanc said through these collaborations they are able to expand healthcare services in the Municipality of Clare.

Expansion and renovation of the Clare Health Centre is expected to be complete by this summer.

“Nova Scotians want access to primary care close to home. It’s a priority for them, government, and our health system and community leaders,” said Jill Balser, MLA for Digby-Annapolis on behalf of Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson, in a media release. “I want to thank Nova Scotia Health and the Municipality of the District of Clare for their continued partnership to help more people in Clare, Weymouth, Digby and surrounding communities get the care they deserve.”