Guelph residents who need brain or nerve care can now get it much closer to home. Guelph General Hospital opened its new Neurology Clinic on June 3, 2026, giving patients in Guelph and Wellington County an option to be seen locally instead of traveling to other cities.
Many people with conditions like epilepsy or multiple sclerosis have faced waits of up to two years just to see a specialist at hospitals outside the region. Now, the clinic will assess, diagnose, and treat these and other adult neurological disorders right in Guelph.
Dr. Alex Ferguson, Chief of Staff at Guelph General Hospital, said hundreds of patients each year need timely access to neurological care. The clinic aims to reduce those long waits and keep care within the community.
Dr. Erin Balcom supports the clinic. She brings specialized training in multiple sclerosis and inflammatory disorders, with a medical degree from the University of Toronto, a neurology residency at the University of Alberta, and a fellowship at St. Michael’s Hospital. To start, the clinic will see about 45 patient visits, for those aged 18 and older, by referral from hospital team members. It will first focus on helping patients being discharged before expanding to the wider community.
The Foundation of Guelph General Hospital bought two EEG machines to record brain activity, paid for by community donations. This equipment helps make the clinic possible without extra cost to patients.
Guelph General Hospital serves roughly 200,000 people in Guelph and Wellington County. The clinic fills a real gap here, where rural areas often have far less access to neurologists compared to cities.
