There was positive healthcare news announced Friday (Sept. 20) for thousands of residents of St. Thomas and Elgin county.
A new primary care clinic is opening Monday in St. Thomas and appointments are now available.
The Elgin Community Health Hub at 230 First Avenue will fill a gap for about 10,000 individuals without a primary care provider, explained Jill Strong, executive director of the Thames Valley Family Health Team.
And provide an option for another 20,000 or so people who use the services of a healthcare provider located outside Elgin county.
“Starting Monday, Sept. 23, Elgin (and St. Thomas) residents seeking health care have a new option, the Elgin Community Health Hub.
Strong continued, “We do know that so many people in this community have not been able to access the health care that they need by lack of a primary care provider and this clinic will change that.”
Services include health checks, prenatal care, vaccinations, prescription renewals, cancer screening, upper respiratory infections and connection to community supports along with Rapid Access Mental Health intake and navigation.
It fills a crucial gap in healthcare for residents of St. Thomas and Elgin county, stressed Jill Strong.
“They can seek support from a registered nurse,” continued Strong, “and a primary care nurse practitioner here.
“They can diagnose and treat illness and injury. They can assist with chronic illness as well as address prenatal care needs and find supports within the community for other healthcare resources and, of course, much more than that.”
Earlier this year, the Thames Valley Family Health Team was the recipient of $961,000 in provincial funding to address critical healthcare needs in St. Thomas and Elgin county.
The health team is one of the largest family health teams in the province with more than 125 physicians across 19 sites and provides primary health care to more than 160,000 patients.
The team began working with community partners to establish the clinic to serve residents without access to primary health care, something of paramount importance noted Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP Rob Flack.
“Primary health care is of paramount importance. It is an investment in our community, it’s an investment for our citizens and it is not spending.
“We need to continue to do this in a bigger way and I promise I will continue to advocate to ensure we continue to provide more funding for this very important part of our healthcare sector.”
“But in the future, if funding contributions are expanded, then certainly we wish to expand services beyond this one clinic location.”
Strong explained the process involved in booking an appointment.
“Our phone line is open to book an appointment. We do take appointments, it is not a walk-in service. The future will have us with an online booking platform.”
Recruitment continues for more interdisciplinary healthcare professionals for the clinic and Strong adds the hope is to secure funding for additional clinics to serve rural areas of Elgin county.
“That is a long-term goal of ours. This specific funding targeted the broader Elgin area, but because of the amount of funding, we really had to centralize it in one location.
“But in the future, if funding contributions are expanded, then certainly we wish to expand services beyond this one clinic location.”
Last month at one of the pop-up cancer screening clinics held before the official opening, we spoke with Andrea Hunt (pictured at left in photo) about the role and value of nurse practitioners such as herself.
“Nurse practitioners are such an asset to the healthcare system. We can have such an impact and make such a difference for people.
“We can diagnose, we can write prescriptions, we collaborate with your specialist, order your imaging and, if need be, we can consult with our physician partners.”
Hunt detailed the services available through the Thames Valley Family Health Team.
“There are quite a few clinics at Thames Valley Family Health Team. We are kind of dispersed around London, Ilderton, St. Thomas, Strathroy-Caradoc, and Woodstock.
“We are kind of everywhere and we actually amalgamate all into professional disciplines. We have dieticians, occupational therapists, social workers, nurses and respiratory therapists.”
She touched on the challenges rural residents face in obtaining healthcare services.
“It is very challenging for so many reasons. Is there transportation to access? It’s making people aware that we are there.
“We don’t have to fit in that square box. We can think outside and make these pop-up clinics so that we’re reaching people who maybe otherwise wouldn’t have access.”
For more information about the Elgin Community Health Hub or to book an appointment, call 519-473-0530 ext. 2258 or visit http://thamesvalleyfht.ca.
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FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENT A CRUCIAL STEP FORWARD FOR ELGIN
In an announcement Wednesday morning (Sept. 18) in Shedden, the Township of Southwold is the recipient of almost $28 million in provincial funding.
Ontario Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma was on hand at the Shedden Fire Station for the announcement.
The money will be used for a new wastewater treatment facility and supporting infrastructure.
“I’m here today to announce $34 million for four different projects in Elgin and Middlesex counties that will allow for 5,400 new homes.
“This is an exciting day and it’s exciting to be on the land where we know that there will be future residences right behind us.”
Southwold Mayor Grant Jones called the announcement “a game-changer.”
“This wastewater plant and storm sewer capacity will bring about 2,000 new residences to Fingal and Shedden. That equates to over doubling our residences.”
The new residential development will be on more than 300 acres of land behind the fire hall and across Union Road and in neighbouring Fingal.
“It will allow for a trail system and environmental projects that will be announced sometime in the future.
“This will enhance the whole community where you will be able to use the sports parks and go on nature trails and it will all be connected, one community to the other.”
“We’re talking with the doctor recruitment coalition. We haven’t forgotten that part. We know the existing residents have high standards for health care and education and we are going to make sure that continues.”
Jones explained what the new residential development would mean for the two communities.
“This is going to make that possible. We are going to have proper housing so farmers or any individuals can retire to smaller homes if they so choose.
“And for teens, after they are done schooling, to come back to the community and start a life of their own.”
We asked Jones about other amenities needed down the road, including the possibility of a new school.
“We are working hard with the Thames Valley (District School Board) and the Catholic school board. Talking with them constantly. They know what’s happening.
“I’m sure they are listening in on today’s announcement as well.
“We’re talking with the doctor recruitment coalition. We haven’t forgotten that part. We know the existing residents have high standards for health care and education and we are going to make sure that continues.”
“By optimizing our wastewater infrastructure, we are laying the foundation for the expansion of our community, enabling hundreds of new homes to be built and supporting Aylmer’s future as a vibrant and thriving town.”
Included in the announcement is $4.5 million in water systems funding for Aylmer.
This will allow for the addition of approximately 700 new housing units in the town.
Aylmer Mayor Jack Couckuyt stressed, “This is something that is terribly important for us. This investment from the Province of Ontario is a crucial step forward in Aylmer’s growth and development.”
He continued, “By optimizing our wastewater infrastructure, we are laying the foundation for the expansion of our community, enabling hundreds of new homes to be built and supporting Aylmer’s future as a vibrant and thriving town.”
WASTEWATER PUBLIC INFO CENTRE
Still with wastewater, a public information centre was held near the end of June at Memorial Arena in St. Thomas to provide details on the best location for the city’s new water reclamation facility (WRF).
Three potential sites had been identified, two on the north side of Water Tower Line, and the other on the south side of the roadway.
The recommended site, WRF 3 has the following advantages:
• Has the available space for future expansion.
• Minor impacts to Cultural Heritage (Small Adjacent Property) and Archaeology
• Least amount of impact to adjacent communities (odour emissions, construction activities)
• Least Impact to Natural Heritage (Aquatic, Terrestrial, Climate Change, Source Water Protection)
• Closest site to the potential outlet.
The location is actually in Central Elgin and so the majority of residents who attended the information centre were from that municipality.
Speaking with one resident, Dayle Stott of Water Tower Line, adjacent to the preferred site, she bemoaned the lack of transparency to date with short notice on the public information centre.
She and other area residents said they had little to no information from Central Elgin officials.
It is another case of taking prime agricultural land out of production, added Stott who has lived in the area for 21 years.
Those who attended the session were advised the next step would be to gather comments from the information centre and meet with key stakeholders and agencies for feedback and comments.
This will take place over the summer and a second public information centre was to be scheduled.
Well, that open house is to take place this coming Wednesday (Sept. 25) at Memorial Arena.
According to information provided by the city, the purpose of the meeting is to, “summarize PIC#1 (public information centre # 1), review the alternative design concepts to address the problem and opportunity statement and identify a recommended design concept.
The public information centre is open from 6 to 8 p.m. this coming Wednesday at Memorial Arena.
Project updates will be available on the city’s website http://www.stthomas.ca/wrf2.
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FROM CENTENNIAL AVENUE TO LIGHTNING LANE
At Monday’s council meeting (Sept. 16) members dealt with housekeeping matters related to the Highbury Avenue roadwork now underway.
It was also an opportunity to get a clearer picture of what the intersection of the Highbury Avenue extension/Hwy. 3 bypass will look like along with the future of Centennial Avenue, south to Hwy. 3 (see photo).
The speed limit on the extension will be 60 km/h with no stopping along the roadside.
The section of Centennial Avenue south of the curve is now owned by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation and will become a cul-de-sac when the Highbury extension opens.
There are a number of utilities on the Centennial Avenue right-of-way and that is why this portion of the roadway will remain open.
It is to be named Lightning Lane and will have a speed limit of 50 km/h with no parking allowed.
A stop sign will be in place at South Edgeware Road.
A parcel of land at the southwest corner of Centennial Avenue and South Edgeware Road is owned by the city and could be future parkland or sold for development.
The projected opening date for the Highbury Avenue extension is late October.
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The shape of things to come at the new industrial park in St. Thomas
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