The Ontario Health Team of Northumberland (OHT-N) is launching a local first: a county-wide, cross-sector, collaborative community conversation and local data gathering exercise around health and well-being.
The input and information gathered will guide not only OHT-N activities in the coming years, it will also be summarized and made available to health and community care agencies to help support
collaborative system planning for health and well-being priorities across the community.
“Since the formation of the OHT-N in December 2019, this partnership of patients, caregivers, health and community care providers in Northumberland have been working together to improve experience with local care and services, and to improve health outcomes across our community,” says Adrienne Bell-Smith, Executive Director of the Northumberland Family Health Team and co-Chair for the OHT-N.
“To set priorities and actions for our next phase of work, the OHT-N has begun creating a Strategic Plan – and we want to hear from you!” states Trish Baird, Executive Director of Community Care Northumberland and co-Chair for the OHT-N.
From March through May 2022, the OHT-N will be coordinating a broad community consultation to gather feedback to questions such as:
• What do you value most about health and well-being supports in Northumberland?
• What could we be doing better as a health system to meet your health and well-being needs?
• What improvements to health care, community services and patient experience would you like to see?
The information gathered, along with related statistics and data regarding demographic trends and more, will:
• Form the basis for the OHT-N’s first Strategic Plan (to be released in June/July 2022)
• Inform the individual organizational strategic plans of OHT-N member organizations
• Be summarized into public reports of all data gathered for use by others
“The goal is a single process supporting multiple outcomes, for the benefit of the whole community,” says Scott Macpherson, inaugural chair of the OHT-N’s Experience Partner Council, the first direct patient and caregiver engagement body to represent the county-wide health and community care system.
“We’re excited to be taking this innovative team approach to strategic planning rather than each partner collecting this information individually. The process we’re rolling out is designed to gather input from a broad cross-section of voices and perspectives. The opportunity before the OHT-N and other community partners will be to address the themes that emerge with tangible actions in the years ahead to truly improve health and well-being outcomes and service experience for all residents of Northumberland.”
How to participate
There are many opportunities for community members to get involved and have a say.
• Complete our Community Survey (March 8 – April 4, 2022): We invite you to complete our online survey, sharing your experiences with health and community services and what you and
the people in your life most need for your health and well-being. Complete the survey by April 4, 2022 for a chance to win one of two $100 VISA gift cards!
• Join a Provider Focus Group (March 21-23, 2022): Are you a health care or community service provider in Northumberland? Join one of our upcoming targeted group discussions to share
insights and ideas that will inform the priority-setting process.
• Participate in a Community Conversation (March 2022): A team of 37 patients, caregivers and health and community service providers will be reaching out to people across Northumberland
for one-to-one conversations about local services and where we should focus to improve experiences and health outcomes.
• Participate in our Strategy Hives (May 2022): Using information gathered throughout the consultation process, we will be hosting a series of mini-planning sessions – called Strategy Hives.
Patients, caregivers, community members, and providers of health care and community services will all work together to create a vision and define priorities for improved care and services in Northumberland. (More information on the Strategy Hives will be available in early April.)
Please consider being a part of this important process by sharing your perspective and experience through one (or more!) of the above opportunities. To learn more, access the survey, and register to participate in the other opportunities identified, please visit our website at OHTNorthumberland.ca.
For questions about the OHT-N Strategic Planning Process, email the team care of info@ohtnorthumberland.ca or reach out by phone care of Marley Budreau, Director, Ontario Health
Team of Northumberland, at 1-855-473-8875 ext. 163.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
