Funding Announced for New Medical Clinic in Western Bay

Residents of Western Bay and surrounding communities will benefit from a new medical clinic thanks to a Provincial Government investment of $250,000. The new facility will be located in an existing building recently acquired by Eastern Health. The building will be renovated to accommodate the community medical clinic.

“This investment demonstrates our government’s commitment to supporting primary health care in rural Newfoundland and Labrador,” said the Honourable Jerome Kennedy, Minister of Health and Community Services. “The new medical clinic in Western Bay will better serve the residents of the area and enhance the delivery of essential health care services by health care professionals in the Western Bay region.”

In March 2010, the Provincial Government announced funding to make several upgrades to the Western Bay clinic. After reviewing the scale of work required, it was determined that it would be more cost effective to acquire an existing building next to the current clinic. The recently acquired building will be renovated to allow access to people with mobility disabilities and to meet all other current building codes. Renovations are expected to begin in the coming weeks.

“This is a significant announcement for the residents of Western Bay and the surrounding communities,” said the Honourable Charlene Johnson, Minister of Minister of Child, Youth and Family Services and MHA for Trinity - Bay de Verde. “Space and accessibility at the current clinic have been an ongoing issue and I am glad to see these issues will be addressed. This important investment from our government shows its commitment to rural residents and helps ensure all people in Newfoundland and Labrador receive quality, up-to-date medical care.”

The new facility will be twice as large as the existing clinic and will include a family physician’s office, space for patient reception and waiting, and a patient examination area. The renovated building will also have space for the community’s pharmacy services.

“We thank the Provincial Government for this investment in the Western Bay Medical Clinic that will allow us to establish a new and larger clinic for the benefit of the people in the area,” said Vickie Kaminski, President and CEO, Eastern Health. “We appreciate the government’s continued commitment to improving health care services in the smaller communities within the eastern region.”

Budget 2010: The Right Investments – For Our Children and Our Future allocated $208.9 million for health infrastructure projects throughout the province. This included $177.3 million for new facilities and equipment and $31.6 million for repairs and renovations.

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2011 03 30             11:30 a.m.