Ontario is improving access to primary care for Sault Ste. Marie families by helping to recruit and retain more non-physician primary health care professionals, including nurse practitioners, social workers and registered dietitians. David Orazietti MPP made the announcement today at the Algoma Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic’s 5th anniversary celebration event.
“Our government is continuing to deliver improvements to front-line health care by providing greater access to primary care locally,” said Orazietti. “This investment will help community health organizations in Sault Ste. Marie attract and retain skilled health care professionals.”
The province is supporting four primary care organizations in Sault Ste. Marie, such as community health centres, nurse practitioner-led clinics, family health teams, Aboriginal Health Access Centres and nursing stations that serve nearly four million people in Ontario. This funding will allow organizations to better attract and retain non-physician health care professionals to serve more Ontario families, including in high-needs and remote communities.
These local funding recipients will receive the following additional base funding for the 2016/17 year:
Algoma Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic $46,700
Superior Family Health Team $20,500
Group Health Association $ 6,500
District of Algoma Board of Health $ 4,900
“This funding will ensure the effective retention and recruitment of qualified interprofessional staff at the Algoma Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic. Investments such as this, in staff retention and recruitment, will allow us to better serve our patients,” said Sandra Dereski, Administrative Lead, Algoma Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic. “We are pleased to have this financial commitment in place to strengthen primary care services in our community.”
Increasing access to primary care is part of the government’s plan to build a better Ontario through its Patients First: Action Plan for Health Care, which provides patients with faster access to the right care; better home and community care; the information they need to live healthy; and a health care system that is sustainable for generations to come.
QUICK FACTS
- Province wide the government is providing $22.2 million this year, and $31.7 million in each of the next two years, fulfilling a 2016 Budget commitment to provide up to $85 million over the next three years to support inter-professional primary care organizations.
- These organizations employ close to 5,000 interdisciplinary health providers such as nurse practitioners, social workers, nurses, dietitians, occupational therapists, and health promoters and approximately 2,000 administrative staff (medical secretaries, receptionists, and volunteer coordinators). They provide a wide range of primary care services that support the care provided by family doctors and nurse practitioners.
- The new funding is retroactive to April 1, 2016.
