Work has begun at the site of Regina’s future urgent care centre.
The “first-of-its-kind facility” in Saskatchewan will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The facility will offer patients an alternative to the emergency room for immediate treatment in non-life threatening situations, such as minor breaks or sprains and illnesses or fevers.
The center will also staff psychiatric nurses and social workers for 24-hour mental health and addictions supports.
“This new urgent care center will be staffed with a multidisciplinary care team, including mental health professionals, to provide patients with better access to urgent medical care for a variety of needs,” Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) interim CEO Andrew Will said.
“This will provide residents of Regina another option for more immediate access to health care not only for physical needs, but also for mental health concerns.”
Construction is scheduled to begin this spring on the lot at 1350 Albert St.
Will said the new center will help reduce wait times for mental health and addictions treatment, while freeing up time and space in the ER.
“By diverting patients away from the emergency room it will make care there happen more quickly as well,” he said.
Reducing ER wait times is a priority, Will said, but he could not give a specific target that the SHA is working toward.
According to Mental Health and Addictions Minister Everett Hindley, the urgent care center is just one example of how the government is working to build up healthcare capacity across the province.
“It helps bolster our overall healthcare system,” Hindley said.
“There’s going to continue to be pressures as we have a growing population and growing demands to make sure we can address the healthcare needs of the people in Saskatchewan.”
Planning is currently underway for an urgent care center in Saskatoon.
The Regina facility is expected to open in mid-2023.