Eastern Health says it is disappointed that a pilot project involving an after-hours clinic on Major’s Path is closing at the end of the year, but it’s hoping an agreement can be reached with the NLMA to keep it going.

The health authority says the after-hours clinic was established as a pilot project in 2018 to provide care to patients for non-emergency illnesses and injuries.

The intention was to divert patients with minor ailments away from the emergency room.

The original plan according to Eastern Health was to fund the program for two years and then it would be offered independently by the physicians involved.

The health authority says its intention was not to cover the long-term overhead costs for fee-for-service physicians, but it is willing to provide free space to those doctors if they provide their own clerical staff and security as they normally would.