Nova Scotia Buzz
Beginning November 1, Nova Scotians living in North Sydney and surrounding communities of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality will have a brand new option to receive urgent healthcare treatment near home.
The Northside Urgent Treatment Centre, located at the Northside General Hospital, will provide care for those with unexpected, non-life-threatening health needs that require same or next day treatment. Examples of conditions and injuries that will be seen include simple fractures, sprains, earaches, minor cuts and mild mental health support. The Urgent Treatment Centre will be available to people with or without a family doctor or nurse practitioner.
The centre will operate Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Hours are subject to change on holidays.
You can book an appointment starting at 8:30 a.m. on November 1 by calling 902-794-8966 or going to the centre in person, where they will be assessed by a nurse to determine if they will be scheduled for an appointment, usually later that day or the next day.
“This is a new way of offering care to Nova Scotians and the goal is to improve access to healthcare when and where people need it,” Premier Tim Houston said today, October 25, at the centre.
“We know change is needed in our healthcare system, and we have to find new and better ways to provide care. This urgent treatment centre moves us in the right direction.”
The new facility will be different from an emergency department in several ways:
- care is for non-life-threatening injuries and illness
- ambulances do not bring people to the centre
- you must make an appointment, usually same or next day.
Patients who need emergency care should call 911.
Nova Scotia Health will be hosting a public education session about the new centre on Thursday, October 28, at the Emera Centre Northside at 6 p.m. Due to COVID-19 gathering limits, registration is required. Registration information for the session will be available from Nova Scotia Health soon.
For more information visit here.
