Another 1,700 residents of Sault Ste. Marie will soon be able to access primary healthcare services, a significant expansion made possible by new provincial funding. The money, announced by Sault Ste. Marie MPP Chris Scott on Friday, will enable the Sault Community Health Centre to nearly triple its patient roster. Funds will enable hiring of new clinical and support staff The $807,000 in new funding will directly support the hiring of additional staff to meet growing community needs. Sue McLean, a registered nurse at Sault Community Health Centre, detailed the specific allocations/ “This round of funding of $807,000 is going to allow us to hire an additional registered nurse and RPN (registered practical nurse) and a receptionist, as well as funding for one FTE (full-time equivalent) physician,” she said. Targeting high-needs communities with increased options Scott emphasized that the core objective of the funding is to address specific local gaps in primary care availability. “The main focus of today is growing options and increasing access to primary care for, yet another high-need postal code in our community,” he said. “Hitting it at a different level.” Officials said this expansion will grow the health centre’s capacity from 900 patients to approximately 2,600. Extended hours and enhanced programming to improve accessibility The addition of new staff will facilitate more flexible operating hours and a wider array of programs. Ashley Aikens-McIntosh, a registered social worker at the centre, explained the direct benefits for clients. “We can increase our hours, which allows clinics to be run outside of the 8:30 to 4:30 hours. So increased access means people have to take less time off work when they’re coming for support,” she said. Aikens-McIntosh added that the changes will also “allow space for group type activities.” Community-focused programs to widen scope of service McLean elaborated on the diverse group programs that the centre offers, which are open to the broader community regardless of patient enrollment status. “We have several programs that are community-based, like memory clinic and cognitive assessments, the spirometry testing for COPD, the group that Ashley is just getting going on the LGBTQ population to have education sessions and places where people can come and talk,” she said. “Those are all open to the community and so it does increase who we serve outside of the number of people that we will enroll as part of the clinic.” Mandate concentrated on serving vulnerable populations The Sault Community Health Centre operates as a non-profit charitable organization with a distinct focus on providing care for vulnerable and marginalized groups. McLean was sure to underscore this commitment when talking with CTV News. “Our mandate has always been to provide accessible services, primary care services to people who either score poorly on the social determinants of health, mental health and addictions, the homeless and LGBTQ population,” she said. For Aikens-McIntosh, this mission is personal. “Being able to access people who wouldn’t be able to afford mental health support is extremely important to me,” she said. “It’s why I went into social work, is to make sure that community has the support that it needs.” Space limitations emerge as next critical challenge Despite the positive news, centre officials identified a significant future obstacle: a lack of physical space to accommodate this growth. While grateful for the operational funding, McLean confirmed that a key part of their application was denied. “We are going to outgrow the space, obviously, even with expanded hours, or after-hour clinics, we are very limited in that there’s no space in this particular building for us to expand to,” she said. Executives with the non-profit say they have already discussed this impending space issue with the local MPP. Confidence expressed in securing future capital funding Scott expressed strong confidence that the centre’s proven track record positions it favourably for future funding to address its spatial constraints. Scott used a sports analogy to summarize his outlook on the centre’s future.
