NSHA release:

Nova Scotia Health is temporarily extending the hours of its Virtual Urgent Care service due to the weather experienced across the province this weekend.

This service will be available during these additional days and times:

• Sunday, Sept. 17 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Monday, Sept. 18 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Tuesday, Sept. 19 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

To access this virtual urgent care service, please call 1-833-413-0277 during the above times for initial screening and instructions for accessing virtual urgent care, or redirection instructions to the most appropriate level of care. There is no cost for using virtual urgent care and it is available to all Nova Scotia-based patients with valid health cards, email, and audio/video capable devices.

Other avenues available to Nova Scotians looking to access primary health care services include:

• If you are on the Need a Family Practice Registry you can have an online appointment with a primary care provider through VirtualCareNS.
• You can receive expanded health care services at your local pharmacies. Pharmacists can provide free prescription renewals, vaccines, contraception, and assessment and treatment of common conditions like shingles and tick bites.
• You can visit Lawtons Pharmacist Walk-in Clinic+, where a nurse practitioner and pharmacists work as a team to provide primary care at drug stores in New Glasgow, Truro, New Minas, and Lower Sackville.
• You can call 811 to receive confidential health care advice from a registered nurse, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• You can go to a mobile primary clinic.
• You can go to one of the Urgent Treatment Centres.
• If you are dealing with a mental health and addictions crisis you can call 1-888-429-8167 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Mental health and addictions tools and resources are online at www.mhahelpns.ca.

In addition, Nova Scotia Health’s Mental Health and Addictions program (MHAP), has free e-Mental Health and Addictions tools available to all Nova Scotians. These tools include:

• Tranquility: Free support for people experiencing mild to moderate anxiety and depression. Tranquility can be completed at your own pace with the support of a coach. 
• Mindwell U: Free online support that takes just five minutes a day and can be accessed anywhere and on any device. This service is available in English and French.
• Therapy Assistance Online (TAO): Free and private online resource that includes interactive activities and videos for people having challenges with their mental health. This service is available in English and French.
• Gambling Support Network: Online support for those experiencing gambling problems and/or harms.
• Wellness Together Canada: Mental health and substance abuse support that contains free online resources, tools, apps and connections to trained volunteers and qualified mental health professionals when needed.
• Togetherall: Free and safe online peer-to-peer mental health community that empowers individuals to anonymously seek and provide support 24/7. It is available to anyone 16 and up, providing an inclusive and supportive place to connect with others with real lived experience with common mental health concerns.

These services are part of Nova Scotia Health’s ongoing effort to provide Nova Scotians more ways to access care.

For more information about primary care programs and services, go to https://www.nshealth.ca/wheretogoforhealthcare to find services in your area.