Connecting More People to Primary Care Teams in Waterloo Region
NEWS February 16th, 2024
Waterloo Region— The Ontario government is investing $ 1,491,191 to connect more people to primary care teams in the Region of Waterloo. This is part of Ontario’s $110 million investment to connect approximately 328,000 people to primary care teams, bringing the province one step closer to connecting everyone in Ontario to primary care.
“I am pleased with our government’s continued support of both the Waterloo Region Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic and the Woolwich Community Health Centre,” said Mike Harris, Member of Provincial Parliament for Kitchener-Conestoga. “This investment will ensure our community has greater access to quality primary healthcare services closer to home.”
Ontario currently leads the country with 90 per cent of people connected to a regular health care provider. As a next step to close the gap for people not connected to primary care in the community, the province is supporting the expansion of interprofessional primary care teams in Waterloo Region.
Interprofessional primary care teams connect people to a range of health professionals that work together under one roof, including doctors, nurse practitioners, registered and practical nurses, physiotherapists, social workers, and dietitians, among others. Timely access to primary care helps people stay healthier for 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.
“Our government is making record investments to ensure that everyone that wants to have a primary care provider can connect to one,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “While there is more work to do, giving hundreds of thousands of more Ontarians the opportunity to connect to primary care brings us that much closer to this goal.”
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 that these initiatives will help connect up to 98 per cent of people in Ontario to primary care in the next several years.
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.
Quick Facts:
· As a next step to close the gap for the 1.3 million people not connected to primary care in the province, the government is making a record investment of $90 million to add over 400 new primary care providers as part of 78 new and expanded interprofessional primary care teams. The new and expanded teams will include Family Health Teams, Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics, Community Health Centres and Indigenous Primary Health Care Organizations.
· Ontario’s investment of $90 million dollars triples the original $30 million dollars earmarked to expand interprofessional primary care teams and will deliver over four times as many initiatives as outlined in our Your Health Plan almost a year ago.
· The new and expanded teams are the result of a province-wide call for proposals that took place in 2023. All proposals were thoroughly reviewed by Ontario Health based on criteria prioritizing areas of greatest need, to connect a greater number of people currently without a regular primary care provider with these services closer to home.
· Ontario is the first province to have a publicly funded Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic program. This is in addition to the new Practice Ready Ontario Program that will add 50 new physicians this year.
· Ontario leads the country in how many people benefit from a long-term, stable relationship with a family doctor or primary care provider. Since 2018 the province has added over 80,000 new nurses and 10,300 new physicians to the health care system.
· Ontario invests over $1 billion in interprofessional primary care teams annually.
Quotes:
“This investment to expand primary care in Kitchener is an important step in meeting the healthcare needs of one of Ontario’s fastest-growing communities. I thank the team of health care professionals at the Waterloo Region Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic for serving our community and the Province of Ontario for connecting our residents with the health care that they need.” Mayor Berry Vrbanovic, City of Kitchener
“On behalf of the Waterloo Region Nurse Practitioner Led Clinic, I extend our sincere appreciation to the provincial government for their commitment to strengthening primary care. This investment from the province of Ontario towards expanding interprofessional teams marks a significant stride in addressing barriers for underserved communities and improving access for unattached patients. We are grateful that the province recognizes the pivotal role Nurse Practitioner Led Clinics play in addressing the urgent challenges facing primary care and we commend MPP Mike Harris for his support, advocacy, and dedication to advancing health care access for all.” Leanne Terry, Administrative Lead for Waterloo Region NPLC
“Adequate health care for our residents is a challenge that we cannot solve on our own. We are thankful to our provincial partners for their support to increase the ability of the St. Jacobs Community Health Centre to respond to our growing community needs. Our Nurse Practitioners are a welcome and valued addition to our rapidly growing Breslau community.” Sandy Shantz, Mayor of Woolwich Township
“We are grateful this initiative will help us to attach rural Waterloo Region residents to local primary care providers” said Rosslyn Bentley, CEO of the WCHC. “Serving Wellesley, Wilmot, and Woolwich Townships, our team sees growing numbers of newcomers, refugees, seniors, and those with mental health concerns who lack a regular primary care provider. The province’s investment will help us address the growing issue of access to a provider, while also helping to reduce ER visits and wait times that stem from delayed access to preventative care.”
“Access to primary care is essential for overall health and well-being. By connecting more people to primary care teams in Waterloo Region, we are not just improving access to healthcare, but also fostering stronger communities and empowering individuals to take control of their health journeys,” said Mayor Joe Nowak of the Township of Wellesley. “This funding will enable us to bridge gaps in healthcare access, promote preventive care, and ultimately enhance the quality of life for individuals and families across our community.”
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