NorWest Community Health Centres

I can’t even get ahold of anyone, all of my calls trying to reach reception have been 45 mins plus when I call 5 mins before opening and it gets worse if I wait longer. The service is terrible, I’ve gotten an mis diagnosis here on something simple but it caused a pause in my life and it was because they didn’t care to look into it further. Just said “it’s this” and sent me on my way with no tests or examinations, just one look. Don’t go here, much worth it to just go somewhere else. You’ll actually get taken care of properly

I regret seeing counsel as requested by dr made me feel unwanted and not in need of therapy should be able to use the skills I already have and also said my trauma nightmares would increase when I quit drinking

Pushers of nonsense proven not to work and dangerous masks and deadly vaccines. Avoid at all costs!

Amazing primary care facility. My grandparents have been patients here for decades. Currently, they are patients of Dr. Lawson & April, a Nurse Practitioner. They also receive their footcare and bloodwork here, a great "one stop shop". I couldn't have asked for better primary care providers. Appointments are pretty well always on time, and never feel rushed. They address as many concerns as you have/need and actually care about you. Their expertise is amazing and will truly go above and beyond for you. The nursing team is exceptional.

Yes, reception times and wait times to get in for an appt can be long. However, given the staff (MULTIPLE primary care providers, nurses, bloodwork, footcare, diabetes, then to mention the mental health side, street nurses, outreach, safe injection sites, and who knows what else I'm missing) it is quite understandable. Maybe it's because I work in the healthcare industry, but it doesn't take inside knowledge to see the size and scale of services that this organization offers.

Thumbs up Norwest. Thank you for what you do for our community. Keep doing what you're doing.

I feel so lucky to have my doctor at Norwest. I'm not an easy patient and I have a multitude of health problems and she will adress them all at all visits. Dr. Lawson is caring and kind and most of all extremely intelligent and knowledgeable. I feel well kaken care of. Yes their reception is slow but they have so many doctors and staff to work with. I'm extremely well taken care of here. Thunder Bay is lucky to have doctors and staff like they have here.

Trying to call there is impossible the recipient service sucks big time for change get rid of old recipient in with new

I go here for foot care only. Although the people doing the foot care are top-notch all the time, I have to give the health centre a one star review. I hate giving negative reviews, but the reason for this one is the constant and total disregard for patients that the ladies at reception provide. If it were at an occasional occurrence, I would disregard it and put it down to possibly being too busy or having a bad day, to take care of people. But the truth of the matter is that every time I go there or phone there I am ignored, and usually because the ladies behind the glass are too busy chitchatting. When they are done gabbing, it usually takes a minute or so before they’ll actually look up and call the next person in line.

Congratulations ladies, if making all of us feel belittled and unimportant, you have succeeded in flying colours.

Absolutely pathetic. Place is open 10-3 weekends and I get there 10: 35. Only 7 people waiting sitter and 3 in line and they say we're full.: what in the world. 7 people for 5 hours of clinic time,? Only one open in city and not to mention nobody picks a phone up there, I say on hold forever for nothing. This place is a mess.

You have to know how to play the game at this place. People sign in and leave. You wait not knowing there’s 10 people ahead of you that come back in and hold their turns. Frustrating.

Can't believe the new diabetic nurse, so annoying, over bearing, I called for three days no answer, when I did get an answer, I left a message, for her to call me, she left me an a rude message, lecturing me, I called her back to get an argument from her, as well as a long lecture making me feel like, I don't matter, as well as critism toward all the great staff Norwester always has, wow you need to change your attitude. I was so upset, I was shaking and had to just tell her to have a good day she was still talking above me, so I hung up, my anxiety was going up listening to her. I wish Cheryl was there.they need a more understanding nurse.

Please learn to change your website for proper hours. Even on holidays. Many people rely on the internet for information!

Usually walk-ins are first come first served. Some preliminary assessment nurses decide to triage which can leave you waiting endlessly for a very long time. My last visit I ended up leaving and was the 2nd person waiting to be seen.

They do really good work here. They help a lot of people that normally wouldn't get the help they need.

Thank you for calling Norwest Community Health Centers.

There is no other entity in Thunder Bay, hell Northwestern Ontario with hold times as inane, insane, and asinine as NorWest. There's simply zero excuse for it when other organizations with limited funding, high userbase, and other similar metrics are able to achieve a far higher standard of service.

Excuses surrounding funding or other factors fall flat on their face and become highly questionable when Norwest as an entity stands solitary in this failure amongst other similar organizations. The questionable nature being that the entities they do stand beside in this service level are purely profit driven businesses like telecoms.

According to the CPSO website:

"You can expect your doctor to communicate clearly, openly, honestly and with sensitivity:

Work with you to understand your health-care needs and help determine the best course of treatment for you;

Give you information about all available or appropriate treatment options, even if it goes against their personal beliefs; and

Address any questions or concerns you may have about your health or treatment options.

You have the right to as a patient:

Know who is involved in your health-care, including any students or trainees.
Ask your doctor questions about your health and treatment options, and express any concerns.
Seek out a second opinion.

Make sure your patient rights are adhered to. Read the CPSO website if you feel you were treated inappropriately according to CPSO guidelines for physicians and patients. For further information you can also review the CMA policies for physician responsibilities.

FOLLOW UP: I would avoid this clinic at all costs if you have investigative or complex medical needs. I sought out care in Toronto and they found a serious problem that the doctor at NW refused to investigate further, or, send me to a specialist, despite having abnormal test results.

Place is a joke, my little boy needed his 1 year vaccine shot. My NP is there. Tried phoning for 2 weeks straight, never any answer. No one EVER answers the phones. Do the receptionists ever do any work there? And this is phoning multiple times EVERY day. But everytime I have been here, there is 2-3 girls behind the counter, doing nothing but pretending to be busy. Get some staff that actually do there fooking job that you pay them for. Had to take him to Jansen walk in on Edward, and guess what, they answered the phone FIRST time I phoned, and he was in immediately they even phoned me back with his 1yr 4 month appt for those shots. Competent staffing, that actually do their jobs.

We always get amazing face to face service. My issue is that sometimes our appointments are so far into the future I forget about them all together. Waiting months to see your medical provider is a problem. That and there is alot of drug addicted people here, which is fine until you're sitting in the waiting room with your 14 y old daughter and one won't leave her alone. So you tell him in no kind words he has no reason to be even be speaking to her. They have nothing in common, and i told him to stop.which hurt his feelings. Started a bit of a verbal argument. But other than those two things. I don't mind nor west.

Waited over 30 mins on the phone to see if the walk in clinic is full.
When i went in i seen the receptionist gossiping.

Also went in the line to see if i could make a appointment and the receptionist called me up and then assumed i was there for walk in but when I asked her to do something she responded “im busy”

The walk-in was very efficient. Kids were seen first, then adults in order of when they arrived. There aren’t many spots, unfortunately, so several people had to be turned away. The staff were all kind and helpful.

*this is an edit to my original. Reception can't ever keep the same story. I have manged to book appointments no issue, suddenly today, its impossible. They even say they have never booked mental health appointments at Reception, which is just a lie. I will refuse to deal with Reception at any available opportunity. *
First I have great things to say about their mental health programs, and my doctor (Richard) there is amazing.

However, every single time I try to use the walk-in I get turned around. Just today I arrived exactly on time, but that wasn't good enough for them. I have also been disrespected over the phone more than once by reception. As well, I had to wait on hold nearly 40 minutes last week, and as soon as the receptionist answered, they hung up without saying a word. Not the first time this has happened. Lastly, it's protocol to wear masks. It says as much on the door. The staff don't follow this rule to the letter, but they expect you to. I think whoever owns this clinic needs to re-train reception. This is where all my issues with this clinic come from. Many others as well, from reviews I've seen.

Name removed to prevent further hostility.

I dont understand why I need to call and talk to a cruel receptionist before talking to my kind doctor. Especially when i have fragile mental health to begin with. It makes the process harder knowing there's a chance to talk to a nasty worker first.