Reposted from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador: https://www.gov.nl.ca/releases/2023/exec/0321n01/
March 21, 2023 – St. John’s, NL:The Honourable Dr. Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, today announced that 10 new Family Care Teams will be established to help meet the primary care needs of residents throughout the province. Upon full implementation, these new Family Care Teams will provide access to primary care for up to 80,000 people.
Based on a needs assessment and available resources to support the team model, these teams will be established in the following areas:
- Bonavista;
- Brookfield/Centreville area;
- Clarenville;
- Conception Bay North;
- Deer Lake-White Bay;
- Gander;
- Grand Falls-Windsor;
- Labrador West;
- Port aux Basques; and
- St. John’s.
Budget 2023 supports the creation of these teams through funding of $21.2 million.
A new name and logo was also revealed at the event. All current and new teams will be called Family Care Teams, building upon the focus on access, as well as the team approach to the provision of primary care. Since their inception several years ago, these have often been referred to as Collaborative Team Clinics or Collaborative Care Teams.
Premier Furey was joined at the announcement by the Honourable Tom Osborne, Minister of Health and Community Services; the Honourable Siobhan Coady, Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance; Melissa Coish, Regional Director of the Primary Health Care and Chronic Disease Management and Prevention Program, Eastern Health; and Dr. Dianne Keating-Power, Collaborative Team Clinic Physician, St. John’s.
Health Accord NL included consideration of how physicians and other health care professionals work together to meet the province’s health care needs, both in hospital and community settings. It recommended the creation of 35 multi-disciplinary teams over five years that work collaboratively to best meet the varied needs of patients and their families. These teams include family physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, as well as other allied health professionals. To date, there are eight of these teams in various stages of implementation throughout the province.
Quotes
“Newfoundlanders and Labradorians want to lead healthy, productive lives, knowing that access to appropriate, quality health care is available to them, when needed. As part of our plan to improve the health care system we are continuing our efforts to increase access through an additional 10 Family Care Teams for towns and communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. It is all part of our larger plan that is built on the Health Accord and addresses short-term needs while creating long-term change.”
Honourable Dr. Andrew Furey
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
“The addition of 10 new Family Care Teams is significant for our province, as we know team-based care is an essential feature of an effective and sustainable health care system. We remain focused on transforming the delivery of health care in our province, working collaboratively with our health professionals to meet the province’s health care needs, both in hospital and community settings. We remain committed to our recruitment and retention efforts as well, as we strive to ensure we have the workforce needed to ensure the delivery of these services.”
Honourable Tom Osborne
Minister of Health and Community Services
“We are making strategic investments to transform health care that reflects the Health Accord. It is a priority of this government. The funding of more than $21 million in the upcoming budget for 10 new Family Care Teams is an example of how we are committed to the health care needs of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.”
Honourable Siobhan Coady
Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance
“Eastern Health is committed to transforming health care as outlined in Health Accord NL by re-balancing the system and shifting to a community-based model of care. Through the implementation of team-based care, we have increased access to Primary Health Care by successfully assigning over 12,000 patients to health-care providers. Eastern Health would like to thank our staff and physicians for the exceptional care they provide to the people we serve and for leading the way as we re-imagine the health system.”
Melissa Coish
Regional Director, Primary Health Care and Chronic Disease Management and Prevention Program, Eastern Health
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