A new integrated community health care centre will be constructed in Stephenville, which will help increase access to health care in the Stephenville/Bay St. George region. NL Health Services has awarded a contract valued at approximately $2 million per year to GDR Enterprises Limited to lease space for 20 years at a new 41,140 square-feet facility, to be constructed at the corner of Connecticut Drive and Minnesota Avenue, near the Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital.

In addition to housing the Stephenville/Bay St. George Family Care Team, the new facility will consolidate into one location existing health services in the area from other locations, including:

• Mental health and addictions services;
• The Flexible Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) team, which provides treatment of illness and symptoms, hands-on assistance with daily living activities, and recovery support for individuals with serious mental illness;
• Community support program offering services to seniors and individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities;  
• Developmental health services, including speech-language pathology, audiology services, and direct home services; and    
• Public Health.

The Family Care Team’s leased space will include clinics, exam rooms, procedure and treatment rooms, medication rooms, telehealth, counselling and interview rooms, meeting rooms, offices and reception areas.

The Department of Health and Community Services and NL Health Services anticipate construction on the new facility to be completed in late 2024.

Residents who do not have a primary care provider now or who expect to not have one within the next three months can register with Patient Connect NL online at https://patientconnect.nlchi.nl.ca/, or by phone at 1-833-913-4679.

NL Health Services will work to assign those who register to a Family Care Team or primary health care provider when one becomes available in their area. To date:

• 19 Family Care Teams have been announced for the province;
• The number of people rostered with Family Care Teams has risen from approximately 28,000 people in March 2023 to more than 50,625 in November; and
• The number of health care professionals employed with family care teams has grown from 100 in April to 203 in October.

Residents will be contacted by someone from the clinic to book an appointment. There may be a waiting period from the time that patients register to the time when they receive an appointment with the clinic.