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The Summerside Community Health Centre officially opened Thursday, bringing several services for people in Prince County under the same roof.
The facility, which cost around $30 million and has been under construction since 2022, houses an array of services for residents of Summerside and its surrounding communities — mental health and addictions counselling, primary care, and cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation.
Staff have been working at the centre for the last few weeks.
Andrea Wile, director of primary health-care operations with Health P.E.I., said having so many amenities in one building provides the opportunity for collaboration to support patients’ well-being.
“It’s really important that we have an ability for patients to be able to come in and get the care that they need, and so a facility like this welcomes individuals to come in for a variety of services,” she said.
“Instead of having to go to a few different buildings across town, they can now come into one building to receive their care.”
WATCH | New medical facility aims to improve access to health care in Prince County:
New medical facility aims to improve access to health care in Prince County
Health P.E.I. is celebrating the opening of a new medical facility. The Summerside Community Health Centre has been taking appointments for weeks, and brings several services under one roof. CBC’s Tony Davis reports.
Rebecca Jesseman, executive director for mental health and addictions with Health P.E.I., said staff have told her they enjoy the new space.
She said meeting Islanders’ needs when it comes to mental health and substance use is crucial. With the population of Summerside growing, she said, “we want to be able to respond to those needs.”
“By coming together in one space, that means people have one place to go. It’s easier for transportation, it’s easier for access and it also helps us to collaborate better as a health system,” Jesseman said.
“It’s a beautiful building. It’s bright, it’s welcoming, and from mental health and substance use perspective, a really key component for us.”
P.E.I. Health and Wellness Minister Cory Deagle said having the services under the same roof makes it easier for patients.
“When all those individuals work in one building, they can collaborate, they can work together and not everyone’s in different silos, so it’s a huge step forward,” he said.
“There’s still some more work to go, but having the building open … with everyone working in the same location is a huge step.”
Deagle said he’s also optimistic that the centre will act as a recruitment tool to bring in more health-care professionals.
“I’m a big believer in build it and they will come,” he said.
“If we don’t have state-of-the-art facilities like this, how are we attracting physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, all the health-care professionals that make our system work?”
The centre houses an array of services for people in Summerside and its surrounding communities. Staff have been working there for the last few weeks. (Tony Davis/CBC)
Health P.E.I. also hopes the new centre will take some pressure off of emergency rooms.
Wile said said the Summerside Community Health Centre is a step toward solving some of the province’s health-care challenges.
“We can’t solve it overnight, but every piece that we put together is ultimately trying to help that,” she said.
“To see patients walk through the door.…That’s why we do what we do. It’s ultimately trying to improve the care of Islanders.”