The Grey Bruce Health Unit has closed its Walkerton office to the public.
Director of Operations and Program Development Chris Munn says this will not result in the loss of any jobs and should not negatively impact the public.
Munn says field staff will continue to use the office — but it will not be used for walk in traffic on a daily past.
Munn says some clinical services will continue to be offered at the Walkerton office — such as the sexual health clinic and the vaccination programs.
But he says they will be open on set dates only.
Munn says recent retirement of some Walkerton clerical staff forced them to move quickly with the centralization of resources.
Brockton Mayor David Inglis is not happy with decision and doesn’t believe the situation was handled properly.
He says consultation should have been done with Bruce County as well as the public before making the move.
The health unit office in Walkerton is at Bruce County’s administrative building.
The Health Unit has a long term lease with Bruce County, and Munn says no decision has been made about the future of the site.
Residents can still pick up water sample test bottles just outside the Walkerton office — but they have to be dropped off at the hospital.
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News Release from Grey Bruce Health Unit
The Grey Bruce Health Unit would like to inform all community partners and the public that the Walkerton satellite office, located in the Bruce County building in Walkerton will continue to provide appointment based services, such as the vaccine clinic, sexual health clinic and post partum services; daily walk-in counter service has ended. The intent is to decentralize service delivery in order to use resources more effectively and support access to public health services throughout Grey and Bruce.
Community based services will continue to be offered directly to clients in various locations, including community hubs or their homes, as determined by the program needs. according to Chris Munn, Director of Operations and Program Development, Some programs, such as vaccine orders for doctors offices, will be streamlined for efficiencies and others, such as sexual health, vaccine and oral health clinics, will continue by appointment.
Well water sample bottles may be picked up in the main lobby just outside of the Health Unit location at the Bruce County building. A drop off is available, on an interim basis, at the Walkerton Hospital Emergency Department. Sample bottle pick up is also available at this location.
Appointments for sexual health and vaccines clinical services, post partum, youth dental screening and for booking tests for the In Good Hands Food Safety course may be made by calling Public Health, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 519-376-9420 or 1-800-263-3456
Doctors offices can order vaccine by faxing forms to 519-376-7782. Vaccine pick-ups will be Mondays, 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Wednesdays, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Inquiries on any Public Health programs can be made by calling 519-376-9420 or 1-800-263-3456
The Health Unit continues to look for opportunities to coordinate services with other health agencies in various communities. One example includes the expansion of the children and youth dental programs which are offered in Hanover at the P&H Centre, in Markdale at the South East Grey Community Health Centre, Wiarton at the Salvation Army and Owen Sound at the Health Unit office.
For further information, call Public Health at 519-376-9420 or 1-800-263-3456 or visit our website at www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca.
