Canada - The Honourable Krista Lynn Howell, Minister of Health and Community Services, has announced new family care teams for Bonne Bay-Port Saunders, Conception Bay South, and the South Coast of Labrador. The teams will increase access to primary health care for those communities and the surrounding areas.
The Department of Health and Community Services and Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services anticipate the teams being operational in 2026.
A key recommendation of Health Accord NL is to improve access to primary care through
family care teams, which are teams of health professionals, including physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, and other allied health professionals, who collaborate to provide care for health and social needs. Over 110,000 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are connected to family care teams.Patients who do not have access to a primary care provider, such as a family physician or a nurse practitioner, can register to connect to a family care team or a provider when one becomes available in their area through the Patient Connect NL website at https://patientconnect.nlchi.nl.ca/ or via phone at 1-833-913-4679. In doing so, patients also gain access to Teladoc virtual primary care services while they are waiting to be connected.
Recruitment is ongoing for physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, social navigators, allied health professionals, and support staff. A recruitment strategy to recruit health care professionals has resulted in more than 1,300 nurses choosing to work in the province since April 2023.
Budget 2025 includes $35 million to hire additional health care providers for existing family care teams and create new teams.
More information about the opportunities and incentives for health care professionals to work in Newfoundland and Labrador is available by visiting WorkInHealthNL.ca. More information on family care teams is available by visiting https://nlhealthservices.ca/fct/.
Quotes
“Transforming health care and replacing a system designed in the 1900s with one designed in the 21st century has been a bold plan, but we are excited to see how well it has been working. More than 110,000 people have been connected to family care teams so far and our recruitment plan has led to more than 160 doctors and 1,300 nurses choosing to work here in the last two years alone. Our work is not done, and these new teams will help increase access to primary care even further.”
Honourable Krista Lynn Howell
Minister of Health and Community Services
“I am delighted to see family care teams expanding to the South coast of Labrador. It will go a long way to address the health care needs of the people in Cartwright-L’Anse au Clair. This is a positive move towards better access to medical services for all.”Honourable Lisa Dempster
Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture, Minister of Labrador Affairs
MHA for Cartwright – L’Anse au Clair
“The addition of these new Family Care Teams is good news for people in the province. These teams will incorporate the primary care services that are already offered in the area, with new services and staff added to fill gaps and improve service delivery. The teams will work to increase access for patients, help with navigation through the health system; provide support for the prevention and management of chronic disease, and enhance the coordination of care across programs.”
Darla King
Vice-President, Population Health, Well-Being and Community Health Systems, NL Health Services
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