YORK: Health care workers hired to clear up waiting lists
Construction of the new satellite community health centre at Jane Street and Trethewey Drive hasn’t started yet, but additional health care workers have already been hired to serve thousands of York residents and clear up waiting lists.
Ontario Health Minister George Smitherman announced last November $3 million in provincial funding to establish the new satellite clinic serving Weston and Mount Dennis.
Money has recently started to flow to York Community Services (YCS), the local health and social services agency overseeing operations of the community health centre.
“As part of the expansion, we’re looking at hiring new physicians, nurse practitioners, chiropodists, health promotion and social work staff,” said Steven Harrison, YCS executive director.
While the new satellite centre isn’t complete, YCS has decided to go ahead and hire additional staff to provide some much-needed services now in the current building at 1651 Keele Street.
“We’ve already recruited and hired a new chiropodist (foot doctor),” said Harrison, which effectively takes about 150 people off the waiting list that goes back three to four years.
The chiropodist is able to take on about 700 additional clients, he added.
Two new nurse practitioners, who will work collaboratively with the three full-time physicians, have also been hired and begin work in the first week of April.
“They will be doing a lot of outreach in the community,” said Harrison, adding another 1,500 clients can be served, beginning with the first few hundred that are currently on the waiting list.
Then it’s on a first-come, first-serve basis but prospective clients must live within the former city of York.
“We want to make sure people live within our encatchment area,” said Harrison.
As for the construction of the 20,000 square-foot new satellite health centre itself, Harrison hoped to see work started within the next few weeks.
Once the community hub is complete with an opening date slated for September 2008, other partner agencies that will set up various programs and services include COSTI Immigrant Services, Midaynta Community Services, Macaulay Child Development Centre, North York Community House and the Yorktown Child and Family Centre. User Comments Show
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