Mobile primary care clinic to set up in Halifax this weekend

Nova Scotia Health's mobile primary care clinic will be set up near the Shoppers Drug Mart on Mumford Road beginning Friday.

Nova Scotia Health says this temporary service will run through Sunday and is designed to provide primary care for people with mild or moderate health concerns.

The health authority stressed that the clinic can only handle non-urgent, low-acuity health issues and should not be used for emergency services.

Patients at the clinic will be seen by a Nurse Practitioner or a Doctor for issues including:

• Prescription refills or renewals
• Minor respiratory symptoms
• Sore throat
• Earaches
• Fever
• Headache
• Rashes
• Minor gastrointestinal concerns (vomiting and diarrhea)
• Cough, flu, or cold symptoms
• Urinary tract infections
• Muscle pain
• Minor pelvic pain or abdominal pain

According to Nova Scotia Health, the clinic cannot address urgent or life-threatening concerns. You will need to call 911 if you are experiencing any of the following:

• Stroke/facial weakness
• New onset of weakness
• Heart attack/chest pain or tightness
• Unable to wake/unconscious
• Sudden onset of severe headache or confusion
• Seizure and severe head injury
• Major assault
• Severe difficulty breathing or trouble speaking
• Uncontrolled or severe bleeding
• Major trauma such as loss of limb or laceration
• Severe allergic reaction
• Severe burns

There will be no diagnostic imaging available at the mobile clinic.

Nova Scotia Health is reminding residents to:

• Do not hesitate to visit an emergency department if you are experiencing an emergency. Anyone with urgent medical needs should call 911.
• Those on the Need a Family Practice Registry may now access VirtualCareNS, which provides free, temporary access to primary health care. 
• For general health advice and information, call 811, a service offered 24 hours a day, seven days a week by experienced registered nurses.
• The provincial Mental Health and Addictions Crisis Line can also be reached 24/7 by calling 1-888-429-8167.