More Access To Primary Care Coming To Sydney River

Construction has officially begun on the Sydney River Health Centre, a groundbreaking collaborative care clinic designed to transform healthcare delivery throughout the Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM). This state-of-the-art facility is expected to open its doors in 2025, providing a central hub for various healthcare services and programs thanks to the Houston government’s commitment to building up healthcare.

The new clinic, located at 1173 Kings Road in Sydney River, will offer seven different healthcare services, with the capacity to handle around 30,000 patient visits annually. This initiative marks a significant step forward in healthcare for the region, bringing a wide range of services under one roof to streamline patient care.

“Nova Scotians want healthcare they can count on from a team of connected healthcare professionals,” said Addictions and Mental Health Minister Brian Comer, MLA for Cape Breton East, speaking on behalf of Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson. “This is a first-of-its-kind facility in our region, and it will improve how patients receive the healthcare they need.”

The Sydney River Health Centre will house a variety of services, including:

• Coastal Family Health: A new primary healthcare clinic with six doctors, three licensed practical nurses, a dietitian, and a social worker.

• Sydney Diabetes Centre

• Palliative Care Service Cape Breton (satellite office)

• Eastern Zone Hip & Knee Clinic (formerly Optimal Hip & Knee Clinic), featuring an orthopedic assessment clinic and prehabilitation programs.

• Sydney & Area Community Rehabilitation: Providing physiotherapy and occupational therapy.

• Nova Scotia Health Continuing Care

• Cape Breton Heart and Lung Wellness Centre: Offering cardiac and pulmonary rehab programs.

Once completed, the health centre will feature 31 exam rooms, a gymnasium, warm-up and cool-down rooms, education rooms, and administrative offices. It will serve as a “health home,” where patients can receive comprehensive care from a team of healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurse practitioners, dietitians, social workers, and more.

“The Sydney River Health Centre has been carefully designed with input from each program and service to ensure patients receive the right care, at the right time, under one roof. In addition, this new, modern facility is another tool to attract new physicians to the Cape Breton Regional Municipality,” said Brett MacDougall, Vice-President Operations, Eastern Zone, Nova Scotia Health.

As construction progresses, the Sydney River Health Centre is poised to become a cornerstone of healthcare in CBRM, setting a new standard for integrated, patient-centered care in Nova Scotia.