More details released about temporary health clinic

David Lopes, partner with Roulston’s Pharmacy – Tillsonburg, and Stephanie Nevins, Executive Director for the Ingersoll Nurse Practitioner- Led Clinic, stand in the area of the Broadway location where the new temporary clinic will be located. (Jeff Helsdon Photo).

By Jeff Helsdon

Editor

More details were released about the temporary Tillsonburg Unattached Care Clinic for residents without a family doctor or nurse practitioner.

The Oxford Ontario Health Team (Oxford OHT) announced the location of the new, temporary clinic last week. This clinic is only for people who are not attached to a primary care provider, and is not a walk-in clinic.

“We are very excited to announce that the Tillsonburg Unattached Care Clinic will be co-located in Roulston’s Pharmacy – _Tillsonburg at 671 Broadway St, Unit 112, and will begin offering appointments in the coming months”, said Stephanie Nevins, Executive Director for the Ingersoll Nurse Practitioner- Led Clinic.

The clinic will have a nurse practitioner, a registered practical nurse and support staff. This initiative is aimed at improving access to primary care for unattached patients in the community. The clinic will provide episodic care, chronic condition support and preventative health services. Prescriptions can be renewed, but with the provisos of no narcotics and the patient not going elsewhere for renewals. It will operate by appointment only and is not a walk-in or urgent care clinic. Information on how to book appointments and official clinic hours will be shared in the coming months.

The Town of Tillsonburg approved funding for the clinic earlier this year. It came to fruition with the support of Oxford OHT members, including the Ingersoll Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic, Roulston’s Pharmacy – Tillsonburg, Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital, and the Thames Valley Family Health Team.

Tillsonburg Mayor Deb Gilvesy called the clinic a welcomed addition to the town.

“Town council recognized the need to fund this clinic with a growing population, retiring physicians and increasing demand for timely and local healthcare,” she said. “A lot of ground work was done through the Health Care Committee with recommendations coming forth to council. I would like to take this opportunity to extend a sincere thank you to the Oxford Ontario Health Team for being the lead on this project to bring it to fruition.”

“I’m pleased to see the Oxford Health Team stepping up to open a clinic in Tillsonburg to help address the urgent need for primary care,” said Oxford MPP Ernie Hardeman. “This is an important step in the right direction—but there’s still more work to do. Every resident in Tillsonburg deserves reliable access to a family doctor or primary care provider, and I remain committed to working toward that goal.”

Clinic details

The clinic will operate in the back of Roulston’s, which has two examination rooms and a reception area. The nurse practitioner and RPN have already been hired and are training at the Ingersoll clinic.

There will be no rostering of patients with the temporary clinic. The Ministry of Health will refer to the Health Care Connect list of residents who are seeking a family doctor.

“One of the ministry’s goals is everyone who is in on the list will be accepted as patients,” she said.

Nevins emphasized this is not the permanent nurse practitioner-led clinic that is being worked on for Tillsonburg. Patients will be rostered with that clinic.

“In the meantime, we hope to hear from the Ministry of Health, Dr. Philpott and the Primary Care Action Team to open a nurse-practitioner-led clinic,” she said.

Nevins explained there has been one announcement of communities that are eligible to apply for funding by postal codes. They are waiting for Oxford’s postal codes to be announced before applying for funding.

One of the factors that will be looked at is the size of the Health Care Connect list. There are only 1,800 from Oxford on it now, Nevins said, but pointed out the real number is closer to 9,000. She encouraged residents without a doctor or nurse practitioner to get on the list.

There is no opening date set for the clinic yet, but it is expected to be this summer.