PUBLIC NOTICE: Updates to Rehabilitation Travel Clinics

Public Notice

(Yellowknife - October 13, 2023) The Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority is providing notice to NWT residents about upcoming changes to rehabilitation travel clinics. These adjustments have been made to ensure services are being delivered in the most effective and efficient manner in light of ongoing and significant shortages of qualified rehab professionals.

The Regional Rehabilitation Teams will travel to communities where:

  • The population of the community is more than 350 people; and
  • The community is considered fly-in only or is more than a three hour drive from their regional team.

Based on these criteria, the following communities will receive travel clinics when their occupational therapist (OT), physical therapist (PT), and speech language pathologist (SLP) regional teams are adequately staffed:

  • Fort Resolution
  • Aklavik
  • Ulukhaktok
  • Norman Wells
  • Deline
  • Fort Good Hope
  • Tulita
  • Fort Simpson
  • Lutselk’e
  • Whati
  • Behchoko (Long Term Care only)

 

The following communities previously received travel clinics; however residents will now be required to travel to Yellowknife or a regional centre for services:

  • Behchoko (except Long Term Care residents)
  • Tuktoyaktuk
  • Fort McPherson
  • Fort Providence
  • Fort Liard
  • Paulatuk
  • Gameti
  • Tsiigehtchic
  • Colville Lake
  • Sachs Harbour

Because of the critical staffing level of Occupational Therapists across the territory, scheduled OT travel clinics will only occur in the regional centers of Fort Smith, Fort Simpson, Norman Wells and Inuvik.

Residents in communities that are not receiving rehabilitation travel clinic services can continue to access services at their closest regional hub through medical travel once approved for an appointment or virtually through their local health center.  

You can find out more about rehabilitation services, including information on how to self-refer on this page: https://www.nthssa.ca/en/services/rehabilitation-services