Queen's receiving provincial funding for primary care teaching clinics

The university is one of six that will share in $8 million for new and expanded clinics aimed at connecting more people to primary care.

Queen's University is one of six post-secondary institutions in Ontario receiving provincial funding for expansion of primary care teaching clinics.

$8 million is being invested by the Ford government that will see 16 new and expanded clinics that will connect 300,000 more people to family doctors and primary care teams.

In a news release, each teaching clinic will receive up to $500,000 to support planning work. In partnership with Ontario’s medical schools, these clinics will train family medicine residents in a team-based model alongside other health-care professionals, such as nurse practitioners, physician assistants and registered nurses. 

Queen's operates Family Health Team primary care clinics in Kingston, Belleville, and Oshawa.

The funding is part of the government’s broader investment of up to $300 million – part of the $2.1 billion Primary Care Action Plan – to build new and expanded community-based primary care teaching clinics in areas with high rates of unattachment.

Chair of Ontario’s Primary Care Action Team Dr. Jane Philpott says the new teaching clinics will train the next generation of family physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other health professionals to work in teams while delivering vital care to patients who currently lack access.

Story by Ken Hashizume with files from Brandon Warby