Women's Health Clinic

We are a feminist, community-based health clinic offering a range of services to women* of all ages, from teens to elders, since 1981. Our holistic approach emphasizes prevention, education and action.

We encourage women to learn all they can about what contributes to their health and well-being so they can make informed choices.  In 2003, Women’s Health Clinic became accredited through the Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation. We offer: 

• health and wellness services that are women-centred, non-judgmental and fully confidential
• health education to community and professional groups
• resources and information
• advocacy on women's health issues

*A note about services for males

We offer some services to males through the following programs:

• Provincial Eating Disorders Prevention and Recovery Program
  
• Teen Drop-In Clinic
  
• Weight Preoccupation Community Education Program
  

Service providers are female. Please call 947-1517 (toll-free 1-866-947-1517) for more information.

OUR MISSION STATEMENT

Women’s Health Clinic is a community health centre, based on the principles of feminism, equity and diversity, promoting the health and well-being of women. Our approach to health is to facilitate empowerment, choice and action.

WHC MODEL OF CARE

For more information about our philosophy and approach to health care, please read our Model of Care. (PDF 316 KB)

CLINIC HOURS

• Monday                      9:00 am – 8:00 pm
• Tuesday                    9:00 am – 8:00 pm
• Wednesday              9:00 am – 8:00 pm
• Thursday                   9:00 am – 9:00 pm
• Friday                         9:00 am – 4:30 pm
• Saturday*                  9:00 am – 4:00 pm

* During Saturdays of most holiday weekends from September through June we are open from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm only. Please call us at 947-1517 for more information on holiday schedules.

NOTE: WHC is regularly closed: 

• from 12 noon – 1 pm every Saturday (September through June)
• on all Saturdays in July & August (including the September long weekend)
• on Sundays
• on all public holidays

In rare circumstances, we may have to close our clinic due to extreme weather conditions. We will announce unexpected clinic closures on CJOB and CBC Radio.

WHC NEWS & EVENTS

Birth Centre Updates

Birth Centre Progress Update

July 2010

The original idea for the Birth Centre came from community women and men who supported midwifery and believed in expanding options for place of birth. With support from Women’s Health Clinic (WHC), they developed a comprehensive proposal for a free-standing community birth centre for Manitoba and presented it to the Honourable Theresa Oswald, Minister of Health. Her interest in high quality maternity care and commitment to the community resulted in her 2007 announcement of the provincial government’s commitment to bring the project to fruition.

Birth Centre funding from Manitoba Health is administered through the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA), who are partnered with WHC in the planning and implementation of the facility and services. Together, we have formed a Joint Implementation Steering Committee, co-chaired by WHC’s Executive Director and the Director, Family Medicine - Primary Care Community of the WRHA. We are also very fortunate to have a full-time project manager to help keep us on track and make sure we are ready to open the doors and start delivering babies in May 2011.

The following joint vision statement articulates the spirit of the project:

"The Birth Centre offers a safe, respectful and home-like environment with annual capacity for 500 births (without identified risk) to be attended by midwives and other community practitioners. Located in a quiet community setting, its modern, open design and natural light will welcome women and families from diverse backgrounds and circumstances. The Birth Centre will ensure attention to the needs and interests of women and inspire confidence in the community birth experience.

Principles of service excellence and collaborative practice in the Birth Centre and beyond will provide women and their families with seamless access to a full range of appropriate services throughout pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum recovery and early parenting. As required, the Birth Centre will offer timely access to other expertise and facilities in the community should an emergency arise.

The Birth Centre will be the hub for the WRHA midwifery program and midwifery practice in Manitoba. It will be a place for midwives and their colleagues in other disciplines to work and learn together, and to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding. Students and new practitioners will have access to the support and wisdom of accomplished and experienced practitioners. Our commitment to research and evaluation will ensure that services are evidence-based and ever improving."

The voice of community members, so critical in the early development phase, remains a key part of the Birth Centre planning. We invited the community members who developed the original proposal to form a Birth Centre Advisory Committee. Members of this committee serve on the Steering Committee and many of the working groups involved in the planning, including the working group responsible for the challenging design discussions that have taken place over the past few months. The result of their hard work shows in the amazing design work. We have begun discussions to determine how to preserve a community voice in the ongoing development of the Birth Centre and its services once the doors are open next year.

In January 2010, site selection was completed and the capital funding received final approval. The Birth Centre will be located at the junction of St. Mary’s Road and St. Anne’s Road in Old St. Vital in Winnipeg. The project is well along in the interior and exterior design of the site and facility and work on the site has begun.

We are working with MMP Architects on this project. Their staff have been amazing throughout the process. Although they knew little about birth centres when they started, their designs demonstrate how much they have learned and their commitment to making this a comfortable, welcoming, home-like environment for women and their families. Bravo, MMP!

We are excited to share a few of the initial artists's renderings of the site plan and building.  We'll post other plans and depictions as they become available.

Birth Centre site plan

Birth Centre exterior

 

We are pleased that the Birth Centre has been designated an official bilingual service site that will allow us the opportunity to provide French-speaking community members with services in their preferred language. We are now discussing which staff positions will be bilingual and what programs and services will be offered in French.

Once open, the Birth Centre will continue to be a unique partnership between the WRHA and WHC. Midwives will be the primary maternity care providers of pre-natal and post-partum care. They will attend births in the Birth Centre or at a place chosen by the family. Clients of all WRHA midwives who meet the eligibility criteria will have the option of birthing at the Birth Centre. Midwives will be employees of the WRHA and part of the regional midwifery program. WHC will employ all other facility staff who will provide a full range of educational and direct health services from early pregnancy through the early transition to parenting.

On June 10, 2010, we hosted a community meeting at St. Mary’s Road United Church (next door to the Birth Centre site). About 40 interested members of the community turned out to hear about the plans and ask questions. We are planning more information meetings for this Fall.

Although much has been done, there is still a great deal yet to do. We have formed working groups to discuss programs and services, governance, personnel, quality and accreditation, to name just a few. We are developing standards and protocols to ensure that this is a safe alternative for birthing women. We will ensure that the Birth Centre develops strong partnerships with community and hospital services to ensure that that women and their families have access to the full range of services they need.

We will be posting monthly updates on our activities so stay tuned. For more information, please see:

Birth Centre Info Sheet - English (PDF 167 KB)

Birth Centre Info Sheet - French (PDF 169 KB)

If you have questions or comments about the Birth Centre, please feel free to contact us at whc@womenshealthclinic.org

Birth Centre Funding Confirmed

January 10, 2010

Health Minister Theresa Oswald recently confirmed that the province will invest more than $3.5 million in upfront capital costs to develop a birth centre in south Winnipeg at the junction at St. Mary's and St. Anne's Roads.

The free-standing birth centre will complement hospital-based birthing services at St. Boniface and Women's Hopsitals and provide an important environment to support natural birth outside of a hospital or home.  The birth centre will include a primary care clinic, four birthing rooms and education, counselling and administrative areas, and will be able to handle up to 500 births a year.

The centre will provide out-of-hospital birth care, while the centre's location will support quick access to hospital care if necessary.

Women's Health Clinic will operate the new facility through an agreement with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.

"Women's Health Clinic is thrilled to be part of the development of the first Manitoba birth centre," said Joan Dawkins, WHC's Executive Director. "This announcement brings to fruition more than 20 years of hard work and persistence on the part of community women who have long advanced a vision of maternity services that provides women and their families with this important option."

A range of health services for women and children is planned for the centre including:

• birth services
• primary prenatal, postpartum and newborn care
• parenting support and education
• breastfeeding support and education

The birth centre will also serve as a hub for the region's midwifery program and support midwifery education in Manitoba.

Construction is expected to be complete in 2011.

Source: Manitoba Health

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Become a Member of Women's Health Clinic

You can show your support for the mission and goals of WHC, including reproductive choice, by becoming a member.

Annual membership fee:

• $25.00
• $5.00 (low income)

Members receive:

• Our newsletter, Womanly Times
• Voting privileges at our Annual General Meeting

For more information on WHC membership, please call Karen at 947-2422, ext. 126.