New primary health site and nurse in Kipling area

Sun Country Health Region is expanding its primary health care services for residents by adding another nurse practitioner (NP) and a new primary health care site.

Laura Wood will begin working in the existing Carlyle Primary Health Clinic on May 13.

She will replace Jeanie Daku, who has moved to set up a new primary health site in Kipling.

The new primary health site in Kipling will be located in the Kipling Medical Clinic. A new primary health care doctor, Dr. Chinwe Joy Osondu, also will begin practicing in that clinic this spring.

"This is an exciting opportunity to enhanced team-based care and collaborative practice for the residents of Kipling," said Wanda Miller, regional director, primary health care for the Sun Country health region.

"The NP and doctor will be available as part of a whole health care team, including a physiotherapist, dietitian, diabetic educator, home care and mental health services."

Creating the primary health care sites helps to enhance all those existing services and make the public more aware of them and more helpful to them.

"On of the many benefits of creating a specific PHC site in a community is the regular patient satisfaction surveys conducted about the team," said Miller. "The public will be surveyed on a regular basis, with the results used to drive the development of programs and identify needs and necessary improvements."

Prior to the re-opening of the clinic in Kipling, the community was without emergency and doctor services for several months at the beginning of the year. Currently there is a team of rotating doctors providing care.

"We are excited for this opportunity to work in Kipling," said Miller. The Kipling PHC site will be the fifth in Sun Country Health Region.

There are also sites in Coronach, Bengough, Estevan/Lampman/Midale and Carlyle.