More people in Charlotte County will soon gain access to primary care with the expansion of the Collaborative Wellness Centre in St. Stephen.
The provincial government is providing $3.6 million to Horizon Health Network to move the clinic into a larger space, recruit more health professionals and add more patients.
Premier Susan Holt said the funding will help connect more residents with care close to home, according to a government release.
Health Minister John Dornan said the expansion builds on work already underway.
“St. Stephen is kind of an ideally sized community. There are many people there that don’t yet have an attachment to a primary care provider,” Dornan said.
“They have the team that wants to do that, and we can help them with space and some of the other overhead responsibilities.”
Dornan noted that about 300 patients have already been added to the team in recent months, but space at Charlotte County Hospital has limited growth.
He said a new leased clinic space is in the final stages of contract negotiations, with renovations to follow. “In terms of timeline, it’s soon,” he said.
He added that at least 10,000 people in Charlotte County remain without a family doctor.
“At the end of the day, we would like all people in the Charlotte County area would be attached. So that’s the outside goal,” Dornan said.
He also pointed to physicians in the community who are interested in joining, including some who recently retired and may return.
Dornan said the broader aim is to reduce reliance on emergency departments and ensure more New Brunswickers are connected to primary care.
He noted Premier Holt has set a target of 86 per cent of residents attached within the government’s first mandate, while Horizon Health Network projects full attachment by 2029.
The collaborative care team in St. Stephen was first established in February 2024, according to a government release.
It has since grown to include 10 health-care professionals — one physician, three nurse practitioners, two registered nurses, two licensed practical nurses, one respiratory therapist and one social worker.
The team has added 310 patients who were without a permanent provider and opened an access clinic with local physicians that has served more than 2,000 people with non-urgent medical needs.
Ashley Calvert, Horizon Health Network’s interim vice-president of community, said the growth of the Charlotte County centre highlights how collaborative care is changing primary health delivery.
“We look forward to building on this momentum, bringing more professionals into the team and ensuring Charlotte County residents have improved access to the primary care they need,” Calvert said.
