Sault gets nurse practitioner clinic

NEWS RELEASE

DAVID ORAZIETTI, MPP

************************* Orazietti announces nurse practitioner clinic to be developed in Sault Ste. Marie

Ontario Health Minister commits to new local clinic

QUEEN'S PARK – This week at the Ontario Legislature during a media interview George Smitherman, Ontario Minister of Health and Long-Term Care confirmed that Sault Ste. Marie will receive support for the development of a nurse practitioner clinic David Orazietti, MPP announced today.

“Minister Smitherman’s commitment to establish a nurse practitioner clinic in our community is great news for Sault Ste. Marie and comes after discussions on this issue over the past year,” said Orazietti. “The creation of this type of clinic will support local health care professionals and give more Sault residents access to primary care while helping to relieve the pressure on our hospital.”

On Wednesday April 16, 2008 Minister Smitherman responded to a reporter’s query on the McGuinty government’s future intentions with respect to nurse-led clinics in Ontario by stating that the premier had instructed him to initiate three of the 25 additional clinics the provincial government committed to develop.

While the minister was as yet unsure of the exact locations for the new clinics he stated, “Sault Ste Marie is certainly going to be one of those locations.”

The McGuinty government established Canada’s first nurse practitioner clinic in Sudbury in August of 2007.

The clinic features up to six nurse practitioners working in collaboration with family doctors to provide health care to some 5,000 area patients who do not have a regular family doctor.

Ontario's health providers are the system's most valuable resource.

Maintaining the necessary supply of health professionals is a challenge, not only in Ontario, but across Canada.

Since 2003, the McGuinty government has doubled the number of nurse practitioner training spaces from 75 to 150 to help improve access to high quality and effective primary health care for Ontarians.

Nurse practitioners are an integral part of our vision for primary health care in Ontario, and are key players in a wide variety of health care settings.

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