Reopening of Port Hope Medical Walk-in Clinic Draws Near with Partnership Between County and CHCN

Pete Fisher
7 months ago
• Categories: City Hall

Northumberland County is pleased to announce the imminent reopening of the Port Hope Medical Walk-in Clinic at its previous location on the second floor of the facility at 99 Toronto Road, Port Hope.

With assistance from partners, including the Community Health Centres of Northumberland (CHCN), the County will undertake a one-year pilot of clinic services. These services will aim to address the critical local need for accessible primary care services, particularly for the more than 4,000 residents in Northumberland not rostered with a physician.

County Warden Brian Ostrander emphasized the pressing need for this service, stating, “With a high number of unattached patients in Northumberland, it is essential that we leverage expertise and resources across partnerships to meet local needs. Together, the County and the CHCN will pilot a restoration of services via the Port Hope Medical Walk-in Clinic as a crucial step towards ensuring accessible health care for all residents.”

With escalating local need, Northumberland County Council recently expressed support for the reopening of this clinic. Following a motion from Port Hope Mayor and County Deputy Warden Olena Hankivsky, Council directed staff to engage partners for a one-year pilot project to re-establish the clinic and assess the feasibility of permanently restoring services. The partnership between Northumberland County and the CHCN marks a significant milestone in this endeavor. The CHCN, with its wealth of experience in primary care service delivery, will assist with resourcing supports for start-up planning and implementation.

“The CHCN is pleased to be able to support this important initiative that will provide access to primary care services for those Northumberland residents who are currently unattached,” says CHCH Executive Director Taryn Rennicks. “This walk-in clinic will provide services for medical concerns that require attention, mitigating the need for community members to visit hospital emergency departments or travel outside of the community for care.”

With the abundance of energy and support in the community for this initiative, work is progressing rapidly. Recruitment of potential physicians is ongoing, with several expressions of interest.

Implementation of necessary technology and systems is underway, and staffing arrangements are being finalized. Based on these arrangements, opening of the clinic is targeted for July. Proposed operating hours are currently Wednesdays and Fridays from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., subject to final scheduling.

The goal in restoring Port Hope Medical Walk-in Clinic services is to address the needs of the community’s many unattached patients. Those rostered with a primary care physician will be encouraged to continue seeking care through their own doctor – or another primary care provider through their practice – to maintain continuity of care. It is anticipated that the clinic will accommodate approximately 7,000 patient visits during the one-year pilot.

County Deputy Warden Hankivsky expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support from the community and funding partners, stating, “The momentum and support behind the reestablishment of the clinic are testament to our community’s commitment to ensuring accessible health care for all. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to our primary funder – the Port Hope and District Health Care Foundation – along with the Town of Cobourg, the Port Hope Rotary Club, Loyalist College, and other community partners for their generous contributions to the success of this undertaking.”

Primary care services are integral to the health care continuum, of which Northumberland County services like paramedicine and long-term care are a part. Recognizing that the delivery of primary care is not a core service for the County, staff will bring a recommendation back to Council in the future to transition leadership for this service to a community health care partner.

The reopening of the Port Hope Medical Walk-In Clinic underscores Northumberland County’s commitment to engaging with partners like the CHCN, and through tables such as the Ontario Health Team of Northumberland (OHT-N), to improve access to health care services for all residents.