SGFP Policy Lead Update

Dear SGFP Members,

Last week marked the launch of our Keystone paper, The Value and Role of Family Physicians in Ontario, requested by the SGFP Executive and executed by our SGFP Policy Team. This paper is an important foundation and call to action in our policy work. Today I’d like to pass this letter to our SGFP Policy Lead, Dr. Beth Perrier, who will share our overall policy focus and progress.

‍Warm Regards,
Dr. Dave Barber
Chair, SGFP

‍

Dr. Beth Perrier, Policy Lead

Dear Colleagues,

Policy may not always spark excitement (thank you to all of you who have read past the word “policy”) but it shapes the very foundation of our profession. Advocacy is at the core of SGFP’s strategic priorities, and your SGFP Executive and Policy Team are fighting to ensure family physicians are heard, respected and empowered in every policy decision affecting our practices and patients.

Our policy focus remains on ensuring family physicians have a strong voice and clear policy positions at decision-making tables, whether within the OMA, with government, or key healthcare partners. We are integrating our policy efforts with the Tariff Team on fair compensation and with the Digital Health Team to align policies with emerging healthcare realities. At the same time, we are actively responding to policy changes originating outside of the SGFP. Building a strong policy foundation through discussion papers is central to our approach.

To date, our policy themes include:

• Building a provincial strategy for primary care. Primary care must be defined beyond just access and attachment; we need a holistic vision of the future.
• Demanding respect and recognition for the value and role of family physicians and ensure early and meaningful engagement at every level.
• Strengthening leadership structures to allow family physicians to drive system-wide improvements.
• Redefining the future of family medicine practice through models that reflect today’s realities and tomorrow’s needs.

This is just the beginning. As the provincial focus on team-based care continues, we are actively working with government and healthcare partners to ensure the resources and support needed to start, sustain and optimize these efforts are available to all members practicing comprehensive, longitudinal family medicine.

I look forward to keeping you updated on our progress toward a better future for family medicine.

Sincerely,
Dr. Beth Perrier
SGFP Policy Lead
SGFP Executive Member-at-Large