Chatham-Kent Community Health Centres launches partnership to deliver expanded health services on Walpole Island
July 21, 2010 – Chatham-Kent Community Health Centres (C-K CHC’s) are pleased to announce the opening of a new site on Walpole Island in early August. The opening is enabled by a partnership with the Walpole Island Health Centre. The addition of new staff operating at the site will provide the First Nations people of Walpole Island with increased access to quality primary health care, health promotion, and disease prevention programs.“This is the start of what will be a very effective partnership”, said Executive Director of the centres Kristen Williams. “As the Walpole Island site develops, programs and services will expand further through increased collaborations with other agencies and organizations serving this community.”
Like Ontario’s 74 other community health centres, Chatham–Kent Community Health Centres are community governed and community driven. The Walpole Island community was consulted in creating the new site and several meetings with Chief Gilbert, Band Council members and community healthcare stakeholders served to provide feedback regarding the specific health care needs of the community. Clint Peters, a member of the First Nations Band Council sits on the Chatham-Kent Community Health Centres Board.
“We welcome the addition of service to this community. We appreciate the partnership with the Chatham-Kent Community Health Centres (and funding support through the LHIN), which will assist in addressing the health needs of our community”, states Chief Gilbert, Walpole Island First Nations.
The opening has also been welcomed by the Erie St. Clair Local Health Integration Network (ESC LHIN). “The opening of the Walpole Island location of the Chatham-Kent Community Health Centres is great news. By having a local presence on Walpole Island the community will have improved access to primary care closer to home,” said Gary Switzer, Chief Executive Officer of the ESC LHIN. “An understanding of the local community is what makes a Community Health Centre an excellent setting for primary care”.
John Zarebski, Board President of the Chatham Kent Community Health Centres, applauded the current government for its decision to expand access to Ontario’s Community Health Centres. “In addition to the main site of the new Chatham-Kent centre in Chatham and the soon-to-open Walpole Island site, we continue to work towards a Wallaceburg site and expect to have an announcement in the near future. These interim sites will be our home for the next couple of years. The Board is currently securing permanent sites and commencing the capital planning process with the Ministry of Health to build our permanent locations in Chatham and Wallaceburg. Community Health Centres are one of the best ways to improve the health of individuals, families and entire communities.”
“This is very good news for the residents of Walpole Island First Nations”, said MPP Maria Van Bommel. “Service delivery directly in the community will assist with prevention and early detection of health issues and meet the specific needs of our First Nations community.”
Initially, a Registered Nurse and Nurse Practitioner will operate from the Walpole site. Nurse Practitioners are able to diagnose, and treat illnesses and injuries along with ordering some prescriptions and laboratory tests. Nurse Practitioners also provide health promotion and education to assist clients in managing chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and prevention of illness.
Recent studies by the Élisabeth Bruyère Research Institute show that because Ontario’s Community Health Centres make extensive use of Nurse Practitioners they are able to deliver superior chronic disease prevention and management. Health Canada reports that Aboriginal people are three to five times more likely to experience type 2 diabetes than non-Aboriginal Canadians.
“Not only is accessible primary health care essential for the health of residents of Walpole Island and Chatham-Kent,” said Chatham-Kent Mayor Randy Hope, “but it is also a basic requirement for productive communities, an enhanced quality of life, and the attraction of newcomers and investors. The new Walpole Island site is a significant step forward for the entire area.”
Through the community engagement process of the Chatham-Kent Community Health Centres, it was identified that over half of Walpole Island’s 2000 residents have no access to a primary care practitioner.
For more on the CHC model of care please visit: www.ontariochc.ca
Contact:
Kristen Williams, Executive Director, C-K CHC’s
Tel: 519-437-8560
kwilliamsckchcs@cogeco.net
John Zarebski, Board President, C-K CHC’s
john.zarebski@gmail.com
