Simcoe.com published an article on February 25, 2024
By Metroland Staff
The Ontario government is investing about $880,000 into health care in Simcoe-Grey.
“Generations of Ontarians enjoyed the privilege of having a family doctor as their introduction to primary care,” says Brian Saunderson, MPP for Simcoe-Grey.
“We know how important primary care is to families throughout Simcoe-Grey. This investment of $879,753 will connect 3,400 people in our area through the South Georgian Bay Ontario Health Team.”
The funding will allow the South Georgian Bay Ontario Health Team to work with primary care partners, including the South Georgian Bay Community Health Centre, the Georgian Bay Family Health Team and the Georgian Bay Family Health Organization, to run designated clinics to support wraparound primary care for patients without a family doctor.
“This funding is most welcome. We (the Ontario Health Team) can now hire much needed front line health care providers to address the needs of people who currently have no primary care provider. We will be able to leverage our strong existing relationships and infrastructure to provide access to unattached patients in our region,” said Harry O’Halloran, co-chair of the South Georgian Bay Ontario Health Team.
“This primary care access will help to improve the health of our community and reduce demand on acute care services in the region by providing care aimed at prevention and early disease management.”
This funding is part of a plan to close the gap for the 1.3 million people not connected to primary care in the province. The provincial government said it is making an investment of $90 million to add more than 400 new primary care providers as part of 78 new and expanded interprofessional primary care teams.