Three nurse practitioners in Corner Brook have opened a health clinic to help fill a void for people who do not have a family physician.

Lacey Sparkes, Lawrence McCarthy and Travis Sheppard have opened the health and wellness clinic but it is not publicly funded which means patients have to pay out of their own pocket. MCP coverage is not an option although the three owners would like for it to be.

Three family practice clinics in the region closed recently, and many of those patients have ended up at the new facility.

MCP rules prohibit nurse practitioners from billing the system, but Sparkes says they have a significant amount of overhead and have purchased thousands of dollars worth of equipment. The owners say people find it convenient to make an appointment and see them rather than wait for hours at an emergency department.

Sparkes says they may also be able to come up with an innovative solution in working collaboratively with government whereby the clinic could be publicly-funded.

The clinic can be contacted at 709-634-9292.