Clinic 554
554 Brunswick St E3B 1H5 Fredericton, NB, Canada

Call to Action: Gallery on Queen Community Support Initiative The GoQ Community Support Initiative is a campaign designed to give back to our local community. W...e are calling on YOU, the public, and friends of GoQ! Selected artwork from our artists will be sold with 100% of the funds raised being given to Black Lives Matter Fredericton and Gignoo Transition House. All proceeds will be split 50/50 to these two organizations. We want to give back to our community and we believe strongly in the mandates of these two organizations. Special thanks to Thandiwe Mccarthy and Gary Weekes Gary Weeks Thandiwe Mccarthy

We are appalled that women are being told that their closest access for a Medicare covered abortion if they are more than 13 weeks along is in Nova Scotia. The lack of funding for the only 2nd tri abortion provisions in the province has always been a problem, but during the COVID 19 pandemic when we want people to avoid travel and avoid hospitals, its absolutely deplorable. We have reached out everyday to our government and COVID 19 response teams since the beginning of the... pandemic. We told them that due to social distancing, women cant find child care that would allow them to travel, that women are not comfortable taking the bus to reach a hospital where an abortion could be covered by Medicare, and they are just not comfortable, even frightened, to go to a hospital during the COVID 19 pandemic. And we have been told repeatedly that abortion access "will not be brought forward as a COVID initiative". Why do they turn their backs on women in need of an abortion during a pandemic? At Clinic 554 we try to provide pro bono services for those in need, but its not sustainable. We need support. Please make some noise to your MLA, public health, Minister of Health, and the Womens Equality Branch. Donations are accepted via paypal or e-transfer. All funds go towards direct care. See more

Hope everyone is doing all right. Based on the number of new COVID-19 cases, it seems people are doing a great job following recommendations: washing hands, coughing/sneezing into elbow, washing hands, staying home as much as possible. Keep it up and we collectively will continue to do well. The testing criteria has expanded so if you are feeling unwell but are not sure if it can be COVID or not, give us a call and we will see if you can get tested. Remember to self care. All kinds of feelings are normal right now and you are not alone. Please call if you are struggling and need to get connected with support.

Due to limited resources, testing for COVID 19 is limited. Here is a video made by Horizon Health that explains more about testing. If you do not meet the criteria for testing but are sick, please stay at home. If you are well, please continue social distancing, avoid touching your face when you are out, wash your hands when you come home and clean your door handles. If you feel well and are out and suddenly feel a cough or sneeze coming, lift your arm to your face and cough.../sneeze tightly into your elbow. Coughing into your elbow could literally save a life. Unfortunately mass testing is not possible so for the time being we need to depend on taking precautions as if there could be community transmissions. Please reach out if you need help and feel free to add your favourite social distancing resource in the comment section. https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=0gnw_Wkg9N4 See more

https://www.canada.ca//2019-novel-co/prevention-risks.html Here is a link that advises when to social distance, self-protect, and when to self isolate. This link also talks about food and animals.

Due to COVID-19 we are modifying our patient visits. If you have an appointment, our office will call you and assess whether your visit will be postponed or if you will get a visit via telephone. If you need to see a doctor, please call our office. Please avoid coming to the clinic without a confirmed appointment. We are taking calls from 9am to 3pm Monday thru Thursday. We urge you to only go the the hospital emergency room in the case of an emergency, for your safety and th...e safety of others. Remember: only go out for essentials and getting fresh air; avoid touching your face when you are outside, wash your hands as soon as you get home. If you feel a cough or fever coming on, call us. Here is a government link for up to date and accurate information, if you need it. Information overload can be stressful, so take breaks when you need to. Social distancing and self-isolating does not mean that you are alone. Please call if you need support. https://www2.gnb.ca//content/respiratory_/coronavirus.html See more

When we sadly announced the impending closure of Clinic 554, a group of community members began a campaign called Save the Clinic. We are overjoyed at the support. We are also hopeful that this campaign can change systemic problems in New Brunswick that keep Clinic 554 from becoming sustainable. This Wednesday the campaign is hosting a townhall meeting. See below for more information.

PLEASE VOTE TODAY! EVERY VOTE COUNTS! Clinic 554 is non partisan and we do not suggest who to vote for, just go out there and do it. No transportation? No worries. You can call 506-455-1946 and get a ride with one of Atwins volunteers, who will also not tell you who to vote for, just help you get there. You can call today to book a ride.

How fun does this sound!

We are so proud of Dr. Edgar. He doesnt like public speaking but he does an ok job, we think :) THANK YOU - to everyone who sharpied up today to show solidarity and call on our Health Minister to invite us into his headspace. Why, Mr. Flemming? ... Why are you doing this? If it saves tax dollars, if its safer, if it takes patients off waitlists, if it frees up specialists, if it increases regional access, if pregnant patients need it... why are you willing to violate the Canada Health Act to keep abortions in hospitals? We do pay your salary and we have a right to know, eh? What a PHENOMENAL rally!

Thousands of New Brunswickers losing access to healthcare as beloved community clinic faces closure. Almost 3000 patients in New Brunswick are at risk of losing... access to primary, specialist, and reproductive healthcare as Clinic 554, an important community health clinic, faces closure. The closure of Clinic 554 is a direct result of the financial and legislative barriers posed by the Province of New Brunswick. New Brunswick does not fund abortion services outside of hospitals, which forces patients who do not live within travel distance of the provinces three hospitals to pay out-of-pocket for reproductive care. This is in violation of the Canada Health Act. While the Federal Health Minister has acknowledged that refusing to fund abortion services in clinic settings break federal laws, there has been no effort from the federal government to enforce the Act. Clinic 554 was established to fill this drastic gap in health services for New Brunswickers after a dedicated campaign by Fredericton Youth Feminists and Reproductive Justice New Brunswick activists. It is Canadas first crowdsourced health care clinic. In addition to reproductive care, Clinic 554 is a full-scope family practice that operates on a reproductive justice model. The clinic took 600 patients off the provinces long wait-list for a family doctor between 2015 and 2016 and became one of the first clinics in the region to fight the opioid crisis with addiction services. Clinic 554 provides essential gender affirming services, and is one of the only places where many vital queer, trans, and reproductive health services are available in the Maritimes. Of the thousands of patients whove accessed care at the clinic, about one thousand identify on the queer or trans spectrum. While the clinic has won national awards in recognition for its excellence in providing care, the clinic is still running on donations and much of the care provided by the clinic is unfunded or highly underfunded. Because the clinic provides care to marginalized communities, it also faces outright hostility from the province and the medical establishment, which places enormous strain on the staff and volunteers who provide care at the clinic. No supposedly universal healthcare system should be allowed to break the backs of its most vulnerable citizens in order to sustain essential medically necessary services. says Dr Adrian Edgar, Medical Director of Clinic 554. We are tired of doing the governments job. We are tired of being told to accept less because we are queer, because we are pregnant, because we are trans, because we are women and because we are New Brunswickers. says Jessi Taylor, spokesperson for Reproductive Justice New Brunswick, We have the law but we need actual access. The governments abandonment of New Brunswickers has a body count. For many patients, Clinic 554 is a beloved family practice and the sole accessible provider of a myriad of life saving services, which are all at risk as the clinic faces closure. It is so much more than an abortion clinic, but provincial barriers to abortion will jeopardize healthcare for all of these communities, caught in the crossfire of the provinces decades long war on reproductive health. We refuse to let our needs be pitted against each other. RJNB is calling on the community to put more pressure on provincial and federal politicians and Horizon Health to ensure that New Brunswick follows the Canada Health Act and provide the clinic with the necessary funding to continue its operations. Dr Edgar has made a statement which can be found on Clinic 554s Facebook page. Media Contact: Jessi Taylor, Spokesperson for Reproductive Justice New Brunswick 506 260 7750

CLOSURE STATEMENT OF DR. ADRIAN EDGAR FROM CLINIC 554 Fredericton, New Brunswick. October 10, 2019 It is with a heavy heart that I am here on behalf of Clinic 554 and my entire community of supporters to announce our impending closure. Clinic 554 is first and foremost a family practice, but we have also been the sole abortion provider in New Brunswicks capital city, and the only out-of-hospital site for patients to access abortions in the province. Unlike every other clinic ...Continue reading

CLOSURE STATEMENT OF DR. ADRIAN EDGAR FROM CLINIC 554 Fredericton, New Brunswick. October 10, 2019

There are 2 weeks left to complete the Transpulse Survey! This is the first time NB has been included in transhealth needs assessment and we want everyone to take advantage of the opportunity if they can. https://transpulsecanada.ca/

So honoured to be marshals today. What a great event! Thanks to all. Lets keep pride political, party safe. Happy pride

How is Pride week going for you all? What has been your favourite event so far? What are you looking forward to? We are tickled pink to this years Pride Grand Marshal! it is truly so meaningful for us. We welcome our patients, volunteers, learners, and friends to share this honour and march with us. Reach out to Valerie for details. Happy Pride Everyone!!

Please read this petition to remove remaining restrictions on abortion access in New Brunswick, consider signing and sharing widely.

Trans PULSE Canada is hiring peer research assistants from across Canada. See their job posting for details. https://recruit.uwo.ca//c/HRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL.GBL

We had a great time celebrating International Midwifery Day at the Fredericton Midwifery Center. Midwifery in NB has finally graduated from a pilot project to a program, but of course we had no doubts that Midwifery would be successful. At the event on Sunday mothers spoke about their wonderful experiences with midwifery, and others spoke about how they still cant access a midwife. Fredericton is the only city where a midwife can be accessed and there are 100 people are on a wait-list. Clearly we need more midwifes and regional access. Since political will grows with nudges from the public, you can call your MLA and tell them that more midwives and regional access are needed. If you want to get mroe involved, contact Familles pour les sages-femmes au NB Families for Midwives #midwiferymatters #reproductivejustice

Thanks to everyone for reaching out this flood season. Despite using all the knowledge and tools we gained from last years disaster, we flooded again. Our wet walls from downstairs have been torn out and dumped and our air quality has been tested to be mold-free. Now we consider which (affordable) materials to rebuild with, which would be able to withstand flood. We are also seeing how the impact of climate change affects access to health care. While we have been dealing wit...h this mess, Reproductive Justice New Brunswick created a go-fund-me page for us https://ca.gofundme.com/clinic-554-needs-your-help. Thank you RJNB! We hope to have enough raised for the cost of ensuring that the building is dry and sanitized. Another piece of exciting news, and much more celebratory, is that Clinic 554 was awarded the Peter Gillespie Social Justice Award https://interpares.ca//two-winners-2019-peter-gillespie-so. Thank you Inter Pares! What a morale boost during these tough times! As part of our prize, we met with government representatives in Ottawa to discuss the barriers to abortion access in New Brunswick. Despite that the Canada Health Act requires NB to insure all medically necessary services - free of cost to the individual- in a manner that is accessible, comprehensive and universal, NB continues to refuse to insure abortions at Clinic 554. We discussed with the Federal Government how NB is failing in its legal and moral responsibilities and explained that their barriers to abortion access affect the most vulnerable women and transgender people. If you would like to join us in our activism, you can call your MLA, NB Minister of Health, Federal Attorney General and tell them that abortions need to be an insured health care service at Clinic 554. See more

Thank you Endeavours ThinkPlay for donating the sweetest toys the little ones can play with here. <3

In other news....

This evening Paul will be attending the last leaders debate at STU hosted by the one and only Steve Murphy (pretty excited about that :) ) There are many issues... important to us here at Bowmans Pharmasave but one issue we are particularly interested in is to hear the main political parties views on the pharmacy file and the broader Health platform in general. Front line pharmacists in this province are the custodians of the provincial drug programs. Pharmacists are highly trained professionals who do more than dispense medication. We believe we can help free up wait times for patients with minor ailments - such as assessing and treating women with Urinary tract Infections. We also believe we can do more in helping with the immunization program in this province The issue is the government of today is not currently funding these services and patients who access these services have to pay out of pocket. The Green Party of New Brunswick Parti vert du Nouveau-Brunswick in their platform believes pharmacists should be reimbursed for their expanded scope services. The PCNB have responded to the New Brunswick Pharmacists Association that they would entertain more colloboration between their government and the pharmacists of this province in helping meet the needs of New Brunswickers. The New Brunswick Liberal Association/Association librale du Nouveau-Brunswick have committed to continuing to invest in healthcare spending to improve outcomes for New Brunswickers without making specific reference to front line pharmacists. We are looking forward to tonights debate and await the results of the election with interest next monday. And regardless of your political persuassion we encourage all eligible New Brunswickers to exercise their right and vote on monday!!!

NEW BRUNSWICK ELECTION SEPTEMBER 24th 2018. YOUR VOTE COUNTS. YOUR QUESTIONS TO CANDIDATES COUNT.NEW BRUNSWICK ELECTION SEPTEMBER 24th 2018. YOUR VOTE COUNTS. YOUR QUESTIONS TO CANDIDATES COUNT.

It is Pride weekend in Fredericton! Get out your rainbows, flags, sparkles, leather, banners, shouts of celebration and warm embraces, and shouts of protest for heteronormative patriarchal controls over our rights, and hope for all LGBTQ+ members to feel safety, acceptance and love. We will be in the parade and supporting fundraising events for Imprint Youth Association! Come over and say hello.

TONIGHT! Comedy night & drag show! $15 at the door. Hosted by Rebel Femme Productions & Clinic 554, so expect a feminist centered night of rebellion :)

From July 5th - July 13th our clinics admin Valerie will be away. As some of you know, Valeries mother has had health problems with cancer over the last 2 years which has required Valerie to travel to her family and take care of her. Valeries mother has some critical health issues now and so she must go there immediately. The clinic will remain open, no appointments will be cancelled, but there will be limited services at the clinic. Clinic 554 will not be able to take calls, accommodate fit in appointments, or provide refills over the phone during this time. We appreciate your patience!

Do you have any special requirements to access the show? Weve got you covered!! The Charlotte street Arts centre has an elevator to get up to the auditorium as... well as accessible all gender bathroom. We have a table reserved for our community members who need to to be close to the stage or the door for ease of access. We want everyone to feel included and welcome at this rebelious event tickets for this table are priced at general admission because you shouldnt have to pay extra to have your needs met. If you would like to reserve your spot at the community access table email Kaitlyn at [email protected].

We are so appreciative of all the support from our community. A very successful yard sale hosted by Reid and Amber raised over $930! Thanks to all the artists from NBCCD , GAGs Danielle Hogan, Reid Lodge, and Femmingway who donated their art to sell. The Green Lung Grinders, Sheik, and Helium Submarine will be playing at the Wilsers Room for Clinic 554 Monday June 18th, and keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming drag night hosted by Penny Whines! Stand Up For Rebels will an... inclusive night of entertainment and laughter held at the Charlotte Street Arts Centre July 14, 2018 from 7pm-11pm. The event is both funds and awareness raiser for Clinic 554 and Rebel Femme Productions. Rebel Femme is raising money to complete an important film, currently in post production, that brings the realities of post-traumatic stress disorder after a sexual assault to light while focusing on themes of systemic violence towards women, victim shaming, and sexism. We continue to bring awareness about the provincial government exclusionary clause that prevents access to abortions in clinics. Have a look at the Excluded Services section starting at page 42, and ask why are abortion services in the section http://www2.gnb.ca//Ph/new_brunswick_physicians_manual.pdf. We also continue to fight for equitable access to health care for transgender folks. NB needs to step up and address the gaps. For starters, gender confirming surgeries need to be FULLY funded, like promised, instead of billing patients $2100 for top surgeries. Long wait times for hormones, limited access to counselling and the social determinants of health also need to be addressed. Clinic 554 is giving our all to fill in the gaps, but we need support from government. Thanks again to all the donations, volunteers, artists and supporters. We will persist and persevere together, and look forward to doing so at these great events!