New nurse practitioner clinic opens in North Bay

New nurse practitioner clinic opens in North Bay The Victorian Order of Nurses in partnership with the Children’s Aid of Nipissing and Parry Sound held a grand opening Friday.

The Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) in partnership with Nipissing Parry Sound District Children's Aid Society opened a new nurse practitioner clinic Friday at the former St. Paul Elementary School site on Elmwood Avenue.

Official said the clinic is being launched in response to demand from families who receive services through the Children’s Aid Society (CAS) who don’t have a primary health care provider.

The nurse practitioners at the clinic will be able to order diagnostics like x-rays or cat scans and prescribe medication.

Officials told CTV News the clinic’s goal is to bring critical services aimed at addressing risk factors associated with health, education and lifestyle with the hope of promoting stabilization and recovery for families in the area. Clinic will have two staff members; a medical secretary and a nurse practitioner.

“Many of these families have been without primary care for many years,” said the national director of VON’s Nurse Practitioner Professional Practice, Shari Comerford.

“They’re involved with CAS. They need supports and they need their health to improve. They need the counselling.”

This venture is an expansion at what CAS calls the Elmwood Hub – which is owned by CAS. The hub partners with a number of agencies, community organizations and businesses to bring programs and services for youth together under one roof.

“The vision for this building and this space really is going to be not have this be a Children’s Aid Society but really a community building where anyone can come and access different services,” said Gisèle Hébert with CAS.

Some of the other services at the hub include: two education and community partnership classrooms through the Near North District School Board, a food and clothing pantry and a youth space.

CAS officials said the hub is gearing up to launch a capital fundraising campaign this spring.

Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli and North Bay Mayor Peter Chirico were also among those on hand for the official opening of the clinic on Feb. 24.

Depending on different family situations, the nurse practitioner clinic said it aims to bring in up to four new patient intakes each week.

With files from CTV News North Bay video journalist Eric Taschner.