A sure sign the Port Hope Medical Walk-in Clinic was needed were the number of people waiting just prior to the opening on Saturday, August 17, 2024.
Port Hope Medical Walk-in Clinic which provides primary care is located at 99 Toronto Road and opened sharply at 11 a.m.
It is a one-year pilot program, delivered as a partnership between the County and the Community Health Centres of Northumberland (CHCN).
The clinic will improve access to health care services for residents who do not currently have a family doctor or nurse practitioner.
Executive Director of the Community Health Centres of Northumberland Taryn Rennicks said the clinic is “hugely important.”
“As we are all painfully aware, we have so many people who are unattached in Northumberland County to a primary care provider and therefore we are hoping to help with that problem by having some walk-in hours so hopefully those folks can access the clinic.”
The Ontario Medical Association estimates that 2.5 million people in the province are without a family doctor, with the expectation that this number will double in the next two years. Locally, it is estimated that over 8,000 Northumberland residents – including 4,000 in West Northumberland alone – do not have a primary care provider, and this number could rise to more than 20,000 by 2026. The Port Hope Medical Walk-in Clinic will improve access to health care services for these unattached patients.
This pilot project was approved earlier this year by County Council following a motion by County Deputy Warden and Mayor of Port Hope Olena Hankivsky. The initiative was originally conceived by Deputy Warden Hankivsky, who has led physician recruitment efforts for the clinic’s activation alongside Port Hope Councillor Les Andrews, who has spearheaded fundraising efforts.
“It’s such a momentous occasion for this community,” said Hankivsky while touring the clinic on Saturday.
“It’s truly a community effort. It shows how importatnt it is to work with community groups and it’s filling a much needed service for the community for those of us who don’t have access to primary care.”
“We’re hoping in the next few weeks, we’ll have more doctors, more health professionals join the team and this will become a sustainable and permanent part of the community.”
The clinic will open with a soft launch on Saturday, August 17, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. It will initially operate on a limited schedule and capacity, ramping up over several weeks as clinic staff and physicians become familiarized with a newly implemented Electronic Medical Records system, and additional physicians are onboarded.
Prior to visiting the clinic, residents are encouraged to check the website at Northumberland.ca/PortHopeClinic for the upcoming schedule, or call 905-885-0062, as hours may very each week during the initial start-up phase. By the fall, the goal is to offer services 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. Residents with a family doctor are encouraged to book an appointment with their physician’s office to address health concerns, to maintain continuity of care.
Nursing support, administrative assistance, office costs, and other clinic operational expenses are being fully funded through generous contributions from primary donor Port Hope and District Health Care Foundation, along with donors including the Port Hope Rotary Club, the Town of Cobourg, and Loyalist College. Physicians will be compensated through standard OHIP billing services as outlined in the Ministry of Health’s Physician Services Agreement.
Northumberland County will provide office setup, IT infrastructure, logistics, communications, and administration support. And the CHNC will contribute its significant experience and expertise in primary care service delivery, assisting with clinic nursing services, patient information technology and implementation support during the pilot.
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
