Coming Together for Northern Rural Communities

Dear SGFP Members,

Over the past many years, many of you, especially those practicing in Northern and rural communities, have told us how urgently we need better coordination, stronger relationships, and more visible support for the physicians who anchor care across rural areas and especially the North. One of the commitments in last April’s Physician Services Agreement “Northern award” was the creation of a new coordinating entity to help make that possible.

This past weekend, important progress was made at an inaugural summit with OMA-MOH to discuss the development of a rural coordination centre. The SGFP was well represented by our CEO, Bill Kreutzweiser; our Board member and Policy Lead, Dr. Beth Perrier; and our incoming Board member, Dr. Melanie Rodrigues of Atikokan. I’m pleased to share an update from Dr. Sarah Newbery, who attended the joint OMA–MOH meeting on March 27 and 28 and has been a key leader in this work. Her reflections capture both the substance of the summit and the sense of possibility that emerged from it.

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Warm Regards,

Dr. Dave Barber, Chair, SGFP

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Dr. Sarah Newbery

Dear Colleagues,

On March 27 and 28, the OMA and Ministry of Health jointly hosted a summit of doctors from Northern Ontario to begin fulfilling one of the commitments in the “Northern award” announced last April. Doctors, several hospital CEOs, representatives from municipalities, NOSM (Northern Ontario School of Medicine) University, clinical educators, and SGFP came together to hear from a trio of leaders from RCCbc (Rural Coordination Centre of British Columbia) about what they have developed over time to support rural clinicians in service to rural communities. The summit was also designed to consider a path forward for creating a new coordinating entity to support rural Northern doctors, both family physicians and consulting specialists, in their work.

This summit reminded us of what we know in practice, that everything is better when relationships are strong and trusted. It was a rare and important opportunity to bring us together, as individuals and organizations, to continue building those relationships and to learn from one another. I am so grateful to the people from BC who came to support our thinking and help us see the “art of the possible” for rural Northern Ontario.

The support of SGFP, through their Northern engagement last year and the thinking that preceded this summit, has been both helpful and important. Forty percent of Northern Ontario’s family doctors work in rural and remote communities with unique challenges in clinical service delivery, and they, along with their rural consulting specialist colleagues, need thoughtful, coordinated, visible support.

What I heard most strongly coming out of this event was a feeling of hope…and that is a very positive thing.

Warmly,

Dr. Sarah Newbery

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