Minden council supports plan for urgent care clinic

The Town of Minden officially gave its support today for plans to bring an urgent care clinic into the community that now lacks a hospital emergency department.

The emergency department at the town's hospital officially closed at the end of the day on May 31. Haliburton Highlands Health Services (HHHS) decided to close the department and merge it with the emergency department at its hospital in Haliburton.

To fill the void in some way, the Kawartha North Family Health Team applied last week to the province for funding to open an urgent care clinic where the emergency department was.

"It doesn't replace an emergency department," said Mayor Bob Carter. "It's the smallest fraction of what we need."

On Monday, the executive director for the team behind the new proposal brought her plans to the town's council to answer any questions.

The Kawartha North Family Health Team says it would target hiring nurse practitioners to lead the facility amidst Ontario's doctor shortage.

Differing from a walk-in clinic, an urgent care clinic can treat non-life-threatening issues needing immediate medical attention.

If the funding is approved, the mayor hopes the province will work to expedite the clinic's opening in any way.

"Anything that we can do to help alleviate the shortage of healthcare workers in this area is a positive," said Mayor Carter.