The Norfolk Family Health Team will open a new Access Clinic in Simcoe today (November 3), giving residents without a family doctor or nurse practitioner a dedicated place to get non-urgent primary care. The clinic is a part of the Brantford-Brant-Norfolk Ontario Health Team (BBN OHT).
Tina Gabriel, Executive Director at PrimaCare Community Family Health Team in Brant County explains the BBN OHT for those unfamiliar.
Two new clinics — one in Simcoe and one in Paris — will build on the successful model already operating in Brantford through the Grand River Community Health Centre, with the PrimaCare Community Family Health Team supporting regional collaboration across the BBN OHT.
That was Roxanne Pierssens-Silva, the Executive Director with the Norfolk Family Health Team. The Norfolk site is designed to support people while they wait to be attached to an ongoing primary-care provider.
Lynda Kohler, Executive Director at Grand River Community Health Center in Brantford tells us the Norfolk Access Clinic will be a place people can access non-urgent care and services.
Depending on needs, patients may see a physician, nurse practitioner, or registered nurse. The team can also connect people to counseling, midwifery, dietitian services, and other community supports.
Unlike a typical walk-in, the Access Clinic provides follow-up and coordinated care, so patients aren’t starting from scratch each visit. Staff also assist with applying to the Province’s Health Care Connect wait list to help people become attached to a permanent provider. Kohler says the goal is simple.
How to book: visit the Brantford-Brant-Norfolk Ontario Health Team website and choose the Norfolk Family Health Team Access Clinic. Appointments are prioritized for community members without a regular primary-care provider.
Written by Jeremy Hall