Community Engagement Initiative - Final Report

Community Care City of Kawartha Lakes has undertaken a Community Engagement activity which involved the residents of the City in a discussion about the concept of a new Community Health Centre (CHC) and priority services to be provided. The consultation process reached out to community residents, more than 35 service providers and community and health care leaders.

The purposes of the Community Engagement Initiative report are to: capture the input received identify major themes and issues inform detailed work planning, anticipating that the CHC initiative will be approved to move to the next stage

The feedback obtained, combined with analysis of various reports and data sources points to key gaps in services in the City, led by: access to primary health care mental health and addictions services support for system navigation chronic disease management health education, promotion and illness prevention programs.

Accordingly, the report recommends that these gaps provide the basis for service focus in a new Community Health Centre.

Given the pressing need for more primary health care services, supported by the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care’s designation of the City of Kawartha Lakes as an underserviced area, the report recommends that the target population and catchment area be the citizens of all parts of the City who currently have no access to primary health care. While this may be a somewhat atypical approach for CHCs, there was broad consensus on the critical vulnerability of the entire community to the lack of access to primary health care.

Focus groups and interviews confirmed the desire for a truly integrated system of care. Needs were expressed for more and better information, linkages to all kinds of community services (health and other), treatment of individuals and families in a holistic approach, focus on those who might be harder to serve (chronic disease, mental health issues, seniors and those with multiple issues, low income families).

The CHC was seen as a welcoming, inclusive place that would be completely accessible. In recognizing the City’s demographics and geography, residents and service providers recommended the development of strategies to ensure that the more rural and isolated parts of the City have access to services. One significant recommendation is consideration of the use of a mobile clinic that would travel to designated locations throughout the City to provide some key services.

The Community Engagement process identified many potential partners. There is enthusiasm for an inter-disciplinary, collaborative approach to the delivery of primary health care and agreement that strong working partnerships can enhance the delivery of care and avoid duplication of services.

There was support for the continued involvement of Community Care as the steward of the funding for continued development of plans for the CHC. The preferred governance option is to expand Community Care’s service mandate to include the development and operation of a new Community Health Centre in the City of Kawartha Lakes.

To obtain a copy of the full Community Engagement Initiative for the Kawartha Lakes CHC, contact Community Care at 324-7323 (Leighanne Quibell, CHC project co-ordinator, lquibell@community-care.on.ca