As a proud graduate of Queen’s University of Kingston who resides in Belleville, a provincial announcement yesterday made me smile for multiple reasons.
The Ontario government is investing up to $8 million to support planning for 16 new and expanded primary care teaching clinics across the province to connect 300,000 more people to primary care.
One of the locations receiving funding is the Belleville Family Health Team site on Station Street, which is already in the teaching business through an existing relationship with Queen’s University.
I can still remember when it opened many years ago in the early days of the Family Physician Recruitment program, with new doctors to the area beaming with pride over the remote training capacity literally built into the facility.
It is this partnership between Belleville, the Family Health Team, Quinte Health and Queen’s University that has seen many medical professionals of all stripes relocate to the Friendly City to provide care for local families.
Expanding the reach and capacity of these teaching clinics in the province will not only provide enhanced training and direct primary care support, but they will also strengthen the bond between the communities where doctors, nurses and other medical professionals are trained and the areas where they will set up their own practices after graduation.
Belleville and the surrounding area have reaped the benefits of this teaching collaboration for years, and I am very pleased to see that it is continuing and even expanding its reach.
So, thanks to the province, everyone at the Belleville Family Health Team, Queen’s University and the healthcare professionals who are keeping this lifeline open and ensuring that more families get the help they need right here at home.
I’m Paul Martin and that’s what I see looking Beyond the Headlines.
