The newly established Peterborough Community Health Centre is set to begin its operations in a temporary space located in the city’s downtown area. The space, formerly occupied by TD Bank at Peterborough Square mall at 360 George St. N, will be used for up to 12 months as Phase 1 of the community health centre (CHC). The goal is to start seeing patients as soon as possible by hiring physicians, allied health professionals, and other necessary staff to establish the organization from scratch. Funding of over $3 million was announced by the province in February as part of a larger investment of $110 million provincewide for primary care services, including comprehensive primary care, mental health services, chronic disease management, and culturally appropriate care by traditional wellness practitioners.
Plans for a permanent space for the Peterborough Community Health Centre are still in the early stages, with a search for an interim space currently underway. The focus is on choosing an interim space that can meet the organization’s needs for growth and scale over several years. A campaign was launched in February 2023 to secure $8.2 million annually from the province to serve 6,000 marginalized individuals in the community. The province estimates that over 11,375 individuals could benefit from access to primary care through the new CHC. The initial base funding of $4.8 million, the largest awarded in Ontario Health’s East Region, will support four full-time equivalent physicians and 3.5 full-time equivalent nurse practitioners, with additional funding going towards allied health staff to provide team-based primary care.
Concerns were raised about the potential impact of the PCHC on existing physicians in the city and county, with worries about creating a vacuum by recruiting doctors from other practices. The PCHC aims to attract “net new” physicians to the community by offering a salaried model focused on primary care. Efforts are being made to ensure that physicians do not abandon their current practices and patients to join the PCHC. The organization is building connections with the family medicine program at Queen’s University to support its recruitment efforts. The goal is to start providing client services by the end of 2024, creating up to 30 new health-care jobs in the region.
The PCHC aims to integrate with other community health services and programs to provide comprehensive and culturally appropriate care to marginalized individuals in the community. The organization is focused on hiring a diverse team of healthcare professionals to deliver team-based primary care as part of the evolving model of primary care delivery. By partnering with existing healthcare providers and educational institutions, the PCHC aims to provide quality care to a wide range of patients in the region. The organization is committed to serving the community and ensuring that patients have access to the care they need in a timely and efficient manner.
As the first funded Community Health Centre in Ontario in 15 years, the PCHC represents a significant investment in primary care services in the region. The organization is working towards establishing a strong foundation for its operations and expanding its staff to meet the needs of the community. By collaborating with healthcare providers, educational institutions, and community organizations, the PCHC is poised to make a positive impact on the healthcare landscape in Peterborough. More details on accessing the CHC’s primary care services will be provided in the future, as the organization continues to build its capacity and serve the community effectively.
