TBS News watch article published March 15, 2022
By Gary Rinne
THUNDER BAY — The Lakehead Nurse Practitioner-led Clinic is looking to expand its client base, and its facilities, after receiving word of an increase in its base funding from the Ministry of Health.
The $753,000 increase will enable the clinic to hire two more nurse practitioners, two health professional support staff and two office workers.
In turn, this will allow it to serve an additional 1,600 patients who currently don't have a primary care provider.
The clinic already has 4,200 clients.
Administrator Spencer Oshimo said "This is really good for Thunder Bay, with a lot of doctors retiring in the next couple of years. This is a big opportunity for all those unattached patients to get the primary care they need."
The Lakehead Nurse Practitioner-led Clinic is located in the former McKellar Hospital building.
Oshimo said it needs more space but the clinic plans to stay at its current location, saying there is room there to expand.
"We're really excited to be able to go ahead with this," he said.
The funding announcement was made Monday by Kenora-Rainy River MPP Greg Rickford and Health Minister Christine Elliott.