The Ontario government is investing nearly $6.4-million to connect over 23,000 people to primary care teams in the London area, Lambton, and Chatham-Kent.
Provincial officials say this is part of Ontario’s $110-million investment to connect up to 328,000 people to primary care teams, bringing the province one step closer to connecting everyone in Ontario to primary care.
“Our government is making record investments to ensure everyone who wants to have a primary care provider can connect to one,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, in a media release.
“While there is more work to do, giving thousands of more Ontarians in the region the opportunity to connect to primary care brings us that much closer to this goal.”
Ontario currently leads the country with nearly 90 per cent of people connected to a regular health care provider, Provincial officials say.
As a next step to close the gap for those not connected to primary care in these areas, the province is supporting seven new and expanded interprofessional primary care initiatives that will connect over 23,000 Ontarians to primary care teams and provide services including:
– New mobile services for an Indigenous Primary Health Care Organization that will support First Nations, Inuit and Metis community members in Middlesex County.
– A new mobile bus to connect Indigenous people in rural and urban areas of Lambton-Kent-Middlesex with Indigenous led, culturally relevant primary care services in person and virtually.
– A new Family Health Team for London and the surrounding area, that will expand services through additional Community Hub locations throughout the area. By meeting people where they are, and reducing other barriers, this program will help connect people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness with primary care providers that are trauma and violence informed.
– An expanded Family Health Team in Elgin County that will partner with another Family Health Team and Community Health Centre to increase the number of people who can connect to team-based primary care services.
– A new rural site along with expanded capacity at an urban clinic in Lambton County, focused on connecting isolated seniors, socioeconomically disadvantaged and vulnerable people, newcomers, and refugees to primary care.
– New mobile primary care services in Chatham-Kent, including clinics for respiratory and diabetes management, cancer screening and traditional healers to help provide culturally appropriate care.
– Primary care service expansion in Tillsonburg to connect vulnerable and medically complex community members to comprehensive, convenient and connected primary care closer to home.
Interprofessional primary care teams connect people to a range of health professionals who work together under one roof, including doctors, nurse practitioners, registered and practical nurses, physiotherapists, social workers and dietitians, among others, Provincial officials added.
Timely access to primary care helps people stay healthier longer with faster diagnosis and treatment, as well as more consistent support managing their day-to-day health while relieving pressures on emergency departments and walk-in clinics.
The record investment of $90 million will add over 400 new primary care providers and 78 new and expanded interprofessional primary care teams across the province.
In addition to other historic investments to expand medical school spots and efforts to break down barriers so highly skilled internationally-trained doctors can care for people in Ontario, Ministry of Health modelling shows these initiatives will help connect up to 98 per cent of people in Ontario to primary care in the next several years.
An additional $20 million will provide a boost to all existing interprofessional primary care teams to help them meet increased operational costs for their facilities and supplies so they can continue to provide high-quality care, Provincial officials added.
Since the launch of Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care one year ago, the government has been making steady progress to ensure the health care system has become better equipped to respond to the needs of patients and provide them with the right care in the right place, faster access to services and access to an expanded health care workforce.
