Partners working to plan a new healthcare facility in Millbrook First Nation

A truly collaborative partnership between Millbrook First Nation and Nova Scotia Health is set to bring about the construction of an enhanced healthcare facility for the community and surrounding areas. 

This project will provide much-needed increased access to communities where the population is growing. The intent is for the new health facility to include expansive space for a collaborative family practice, an innovative urgent care centre, a state-of-the-art chronic disease clinic, blood collection services, a primary care centre for individuals who do not have a provider, adult outpatient mental health services, collaborative space for medical teaching activities, and dedicated cultural space for cultural learning. 

The partners involved in planning the new health facility include passionate community representatives and dedicated healthcare and economic development teams from Millbrook, Nova Scotia Health, and the Truro Colchester Partnership for Economic Prosperity. They are working tirelessly with a design firm on functional planning. This phase of the project, led by the dedicated clinical teams, is determined to create a space that will provide top-notch healthcare in the future. Functional planning should be complete sometime this fall. 

This initiative will provide a tangible response to the health issues identified by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action. It will champion and increase the number of Indigenous professionals working in the healthcare field, ensure the recruitment and retention of Indigenous healthcare providers, and provide an inclusive space for cultural training for healthcare professionals.

The committee is also collaborating with a talented group of artists from Millbrook to ensure the facility design and concept reflect the Mi'kmaw culture and heritage and instill a sense of pride and connection in the community.

Quotes:

"Millbrook is thrilled to welcome this health facility; it will be a beautiful and safe space for Millbrook residents and those living in the surrounding area seeking medical attention. It will offer employment opportunities for our community members. But I am most excited about providing a dedicated space in our community to share our cultural teachings and heritage and provide sensitivity training for all Nova Scotia Health employees."

-Chief Robert Gloade, Millbrook First Nation.

"This collaborative project represents a monumental strengthening of the partnership with Millbrook First Nation and Nova Scotia Health. By working together, we are addressing the immediate health needs of the Millbrook community and surrounding areas and honouring the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's Calls to Action. Specifically, at Nova Scotia Health, we are committed to Calls to Action 19 and 23, which focus on ensuring equitable access to health services and increasing the number of Indigenous professionals in the healthcare field. This new health facility will be a place of healing, cultural exchange, and community resilience, providing healthcare for current and future generations."

–Dr. Aaron Smith, Medical Executive Director, Northern Zone

-30-