Northumberland has reached two significant milestones in improving access to primary care.
The Ontario Health Team of Northumberland says all residents who joined Ontario’s priority Health Care Connect waitlist before January 1, 2025, have now been offered an opportunity to connect with a family doctor or nurse practitioner.
The achievement follows a coordinated effort involving local physicians, nurse practitioners, primary care organizations, Health Care Connect coordinators and other health system partners working to match patients with available providers.
The community has also secured provincial funding to establish and expand Interprofessional Primary Care Teams, increasing access to team-based care across Northumberland.
The teams bring together family doctors, nurse practitioners and other health professionals to provide more coordinated care for patients.
Officials say the two initiatives are key parts of Northumberland’s Primary Care Access and Attachment Strategy and support Ontario’s goal of ensuring every resident has access to a primary care provider or team by 2029.
Despite the progress, the Ontario Health Team says the need for primary care continues as new residents move to the county and others become unattached from their healthcare providers.
Residents who do not have a family doctor or nurse practitioner are encouraged to register with Ontario’s Health Care Connect program online or by calling 8-1-1.
The Ontario Health Team of Northumberland says improving access to primary care remains one of its highest priorities and credits the progress to collaboration among healthcare providers and community partners across the county.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
