The province’s minister of health was in the region recently and met with community members and stakeholders while here.
Sylvia Jones was in Essex meeting with people from the community on a variety of issues, joined by Essex MPP Anthony Leardi, and Jones called it “a reinforcement” of what initiatives and projects the current Progressive Conservative government have put in.
Jones said communities province-wide are seeing benefits to initiatives being undertaken by the Ontario government.
“I believe strongly our government needs to showcase the changes we are doing,” Jones told local media last Monday morning. “The immediate and obvious one is the expansion of the new and expanded primary care and mental health teams.” Jones pointed out one of those teams is now in the Town of Kingsville.
Working with partners in the community to improve access to healthcare is a priority, she said. Jones said health care professionals who work and train in the province are doing great work.
“What people want is better access and that is what (parliamentary assistant) Leardi and I are working on,” said Jones.
Expanding the scope of the practices of such professionals as pharmacists, midwives, nurses and nurse practitioners is a key, she indicated, so people can access the services they need more conveniently.
According to Jones, roughly one million people in the last year have gone to pharmacists for treatment of health issues they are impacted by.
The Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) model unrolled by the Ontario government was championed.
Jones noted she has urged municipalities and partners to submit proposals that engage all local organizations and agencies. She told local media members that HART hubs build local capacity.
Minister of Health visits area, meets with local stakeholders
By Ron Giofu
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