Primary Care Recruitment & Retention in London Middlesex

Starting soon: primary care recruitment, transition into practice, and retention program for Middlesex London

The Middlesex London Ontario Health Team is holding a kick-off meeting on May 25th with key stakeholders to look at how we can collectively support the development of this program.

For more details or if you'd like to be included in this meeting, please contact Melissa Linseman, LMPCA's Primary Care Transformation Lead.

Background: data from 2022 estimates that over 65,000 residents of Middlesex London do not have access to a primary care provider. Middlesex London is not attracting enough primary care providers to provide primary care to its growing population, let alone replacing the retiring providers.

Patient Care

Addiction support for youth 12-24

CMHA Thames Valley Addiction & Mental Health Services has launched Crossing Bridges, a free, virtual safe space for youth 12-24 who may be experiencing addiction. At crossingbridges.ca, youth can connect virtually with an addictions counsellor, get information about substance use and behavioural addiction, and find related services and supports.

For more information on Crossing Bridges, see this 2-page flyer or the About page on the website. To contact them, please see their Contact page. 

ICYMI: Masking update from from the MLHU's May 2 newsletter:

"Please review PHO’s recently released technical brief: Interim Infection Prevention and Control Measures Based on Respiratory Virus Transmission Risk in Health Care Settings.

Given the decreased positivity of COVID-19 tests, the decreasing number of hospitalizations for COVID-19, low rates of influenza transmission, and a decreasing number of respiratory outbreaks, the Middlesex-London Health Unit has determined that we are currently in a non-high risk period for respiratory virus transmission. Based on this conclusion and consistent with the updated PHO guidance, the MLHU is making the following recommendations regarding IPAC in outpatient clinical settings:

• All healthcare workers must continue with routine practices, including hand hygiene and point-of-care risk assessments (PCRA).
• Outpatient clinical settings may consider a shift away from universal masking and towards masking based on the clinical situation:
• Masking can be optional for staff in non-clinical settings and also optional when providing outpatient care (dependent on the PCRA).
• Masking can also be optional for asymptomatic patients.
• The use of eye protection is based on the PCRA.
• Active or passive symptom screening for patients and visitors can be considered, based on context.
• As always, the Health Unit still reminds the community to stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccination."

Masking signage available for download:

Free, 24/7, Substance Use Supports

"Breaking Free": For people aged 16+ who live in Ontario and wish to reduce or stop their use of substances. Free, confidential, 24/7 - for over 70 substances. Find implementation, training and promotional resources on the their website.

Updated quality standard: Schizophrenia: Care in the Community for Adults

This quality standard has updated definitions, links, references, and data, and reflects the latest clinical practice guidelines. Family physicians, you can earn 2.0 Mainpro+® credits for reading them.

Funding available: National Advanced Skills and Training Program in Rural Practice 

The Society of Rural Physicians of Canada welcomes rural physicians who are interested in advanced skills training e.g., obstetrics, emergency medicine or anesthesia, to submit an application for this training program.

The program is first-come, first-served, but applications must be submitted by November 30, 2023 and training must be completed by January 31, 2024 because the project ends on March 31, 2024. The maximum funding available to each physician is $35,000. One page backgrounder available here.

Board opportunity with Alzheimer's SW Partners

No board experience needed. See the posting here.

New Education Opportunities added

Check our our website for new education opportunities: https://lmprimarycare.ca/education-opportunities/

Example:

From Ontario Health (Mainpro+ accredited):

• Updated - free Indigenous Relationships and Cultural Awareness interactive, online training incorporates cultural and language considerations and is an essential of person-centred care. These courses were created in collaboration with the Joint Ontario Indigenous Cancer Committee (JOICC), The IPHCC recommends the IRCA courses as a prerequisite to their Anishinaabe Mino’Ayaawin – People in Good Health training.