New opioid clinic opens in Bells Corners

A new opioid addiction treatment clinic has opened in Ottawa to deal with the worsening crisis.

All it takes is some education, some understanding, some compassion, and I think we can make some headway on this problem.- Dr. Sanjay Acharya

Recovery Ottawa West opened in a shopping plaza at 2006 Robertson Rd. in Bells Corners on Thursday, and will serve referral patients from the nearby Queensway Carleton Hospital.

"We have seen patients with opioid addictions climb 116 per cent in the last three years," said hospital CEO Tom Schonberg in a news release.

Dr. Sanjay Acharya, a physician at the clinic, said the clinic is needed in west Ottawa.

"We really noticed the deficit in services in this end of town when we had that spate of overdoses in Kanata," he said. "That opened our eyes that there was a lack of services to this end of town."

Patients from all walks of life

Acharya said the opioid crisis is affecting people from all walks of life.

"There is no typical patient profile, there absolutely is not," he said. "The opioid epidemic and opioids in general don't really respect gender, age, geographic boundaries, socio-economic status. It doesn't matter."

The clinic will be staffed by doctors from the hospital and offer opioid substitution therapy, including methadone and suboxone. Clients can walk in or schedule an appointment.

Across from school

The clinic is across the street from Bells Corners Public School. Acharya said anyone with concerns about that proximity should feel free to come in and talk with staff.

He said one woman did just that, but after she spoke with staff she saw the benefit of the clinic.

"At the end she actually left us her resumé and said, 'Well, if you're hiring I wouldn't mind working for you guys.' So, all it takes is some education, some understanding, some compassion, and I think we can make some headway on this problem."

Recovery Ottawa opened its first opioid addiction treatment clinic in Vanier six years ago.