The provincial government is introducing urgent care services at the William H. Newhook Community Centre in Whitbourne.

The hospital has been plagued with staffing issues that has seen the emergency department virtually shut down for the better part of a year.

Urgent care centers around health issues that are unexpected, but non-life-threatening.

Issues such as mild abdominal pain, muscle sprains and fractures, small lacerations, minor respiratory issues, and high fever are all examples of what can be tended to at the clinic.

Things like uncontrolled or severe bleeding, heart attack, stroke, major trauma, or poisoning overdose are all examples of issues that would still require a trip to the nearest emergency department.

The urgent care clinic is set to start up on Monday. It will be offered three days a week for eight hours per day, incrementally moving to a Monday to Friday, 12 hours per day model as staff are recruited.

The long term goal is to extend hours into the evenings and weekends as well.

As for the future of the emergency department in Whitbourne, Health Minister Tom Osborne says that’s not a decision they’re making right now instead noting that adding urgent care is a good start to bringing service back to the area, and they will be continuing to build on that.