Minister Brian Comer (left), and Pharmacy Association of Nova Scotia CEO, Allison Bodnar (right) announcing the expansion of the Community Pharmacy Primary Care Program.

It just became easier to access primary care in Nova Scotia.

The province announced today that it is expanding its Community Pharmacy Primary Care Program from 12 to 26 locations.

The program was introduced in February and Allison Bodnar, CEO of the Pharmacy Association of Nova Scotia, says that it has been a resounding success.

“It’s exceeded our expectations, right out of the gate… we’re averaging about 85% capacity every day, which is pretty phenomenal, and our teams are pretty excited,” said Bodnar.

Under the program, pharmacists at the designated locations can treat and prescribe medicine to patients with common illnesses or chronic diseases such as diabetes.

“This is an expansion of care that previously hasn’t been available to Nova Scotians at a pharmacy,” said Brian Comer, Minister of Addictions and Mental Health.

Other provinces have been operating under this model or a similar one for many years now. Bodnar says that she is thrilled to see it come to Nova Scotia.

“Our pharmacy teams are so excited to finally be able to practice the way they thought they were going to practice when they went to pharmacy school 10, 15, 20 years ago,” said Bodnar.

The first nine of the 14 new location will open on May 1, with the remaining five locations opening before the end of the month.

Here is a full list of the new locations coming to the province:

New community pharmacy primary care clinics opening May 1:

— Amherst Pharmasave, 158 Robert Angus Dr., Amherst

— Balser’s Pharmachoice, 83 Warwick Rd., Digby

— Chester Pharmasave, 3785 Hwy 3, Chester

— Guardian Elmsdale Pharmacy, 269 Hwy 214, Elmsdale

— Pictou Pharmasave, 33 Water St., Pictou

— Shoppers Drug Mart, 255 Commercial St., Glace Bay

— The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy, 133 Baker Dr., Dartmouth

— The Medicine Shoppe, 708B Reeves St., Port Hawkesbury

— Windsor Pharmasave, 30 Gerrish St., Windsor

New community pharmacy primary care clinics opening by the end of May:

— Lawrencetown Pharmachoice, 491 Main St., Lawrencetown

— Shoppers Drug Mart, 6025 Almon St., Halifax

— Shoppers Drug Mart, 3430 Joseph Howe Dr., Halifax

— Shoppers Drug Mart, 766 Sackville Dr., Lower Sackville

— Teasdale Apothecary, 65 Beech Hill Rd., Antigonish