For
Immediate Release
November 14, 2005
Kanata residents still waiting for primary health care services
“I know that many residents
of the Smiths Falls area are having difficulty finding a family physician and
this Community Health Centre should improve access to physicians and other
health care services,” said Sterling. “I want to congratulate Shawn
Morrison, interim Chair of the Smiths Falls Community Health Centre group and
the team of volunteers who successfully lobbied the Minister of Health.”
“This
is great news for Smiths Falls,” said Mr. Morrison, “A satellite Community
Health Centre will be of great help in improving health care in the town.”
The facility planned for Smiths Falls will be a satellite of the Merrickville and District Community Health Centre which currently includes a team of three physicians, a nurse practitioner, three registered nurses and works with others to provide social work, nutrition, foot care and physiotherapy services.
“While I celebrate this announcement I want to express my disappointment that the residents of Kanata and the Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre were not awarded a Community Health Centre,” said Sterling. “This is the second time that community has been overlooked. While many people perceive the shortage of physicians as a rural problem, urban centres, especially those experiencing rapid growth, are also faced with this problem.”
“I will continue to support the Western Ottawa group’s efforts by encouraging the McGuinty government to live up to its campaign promise to improve access to primary health care.”
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