Essex County health care receives provincial boost

The province has invested $1.4-million into local healthcare, with hopes that residents can be connected to primary care. CTV Windsor's Bob Bellacicco explains.

The province has invested $1.4 million into the county’s health care boosting services to help the thousands of residents who do not have a family doctor.

In Lakeshore, there are about 5,600 residents without.

“We have received funding to attach around 1,300-1,400 of that,” said Sharon Bevington, executive director of Administration for the Lakeshore Community Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic.

The province’s action plan calls for every person to be attached to a family doctor. The goal with this round of funding is to have 4,000 residents attached by May of 2027.

“This is very much a collaborative proposal, so we’re very much partners with Amherstburg and Harrow and we’re working on that 4,000-person goal collaboratively,” Bevington said.

According to officials at the Lakeshore Community Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic, three clinics have received money to expand however they see fit to fill some of the needs in the community.

“Adding nurse practitioners, registered nurses, social workers and offering more services to the community,” said Amy Serran.

The Amherstburg Family Health Team is going to add a nurse-practitioner and collaborate with Harrow to add a new physio program.

“To bring in those staff to offer those services we’d be able to help not only the 10,000 patients that we serve in Amherstburg but also offer to attach more patients as well,” said Frank Minardi, executive director of the Amherstburg Family Health Team.

In Harrow, a new physician and nurse practitioner will be added along with the expansion of some allied health positions including a pharmacist and dietician.

“We are excited to be able to offer additional hours to our existing patients and to be rostering those new patients with this funding,” said Andrew Atkins, executive director of the Harrow Health Family Health Team.

Atkins said some of the funding will reach their satellite site in McGregor.

“This funding will also allow us to expand our hours and access to our MacGregor clinic, being able to offer primary health care very close to home,” Atkins said.

Gerry Meloche, a McGregor resident, says he is happy to hear his small town is not being forgotten.

“For the service, the availability. The people don’t have to drive as much, especially if they’re elderly. It’s things like that. They don’t have the transportation that is required. It would be a big help for sure,” said Meloche.

The hope for all three clinics is to be signing up new patients within the next month or two.