August 18, 2022
The Rural Access to Urgent Care initiative provides people attending rural ED for urgent mental healthcare the option to receive a virtual mental health and addictions urgent care assessment. Previously, a person seeking urgent mental healthcare had to present to a rural ED and then be transferred to a regional site to receive services. The provincial government claims the initiative reduces wait times, improves access and eliminates travel to other regions. The program was piloted in 2021 at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital and this year at St. Martha's Regional Hospital in Antigonish. The province is looking to expand the program to western parts of the province later this fall.