Northumberland celebrates major milestones in improving access to Primary Care

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, ON – June 20, 2026 – The Ontario Health Team of Northumberland (OHT-N), in partnership with local primary care providers and health system partners, is celebrating significant progress in improving access to primary care for residents across Northumberland County.

Through a coordinated community-wide effort, Northumberland has successfully cleared its priority Health Care Connect (HCC) waitlist of residents who had registered before January 1, 2025. At the same time local organizations have secured provincial funding to establish and expand Interprofessional Primary Care Teams (IPCTs), increasing access to team-based care for residents.

Together, these achievements support Ontario’s goal of ensuring every resident is connected to a primary care provider or team by 2029.

"These milestones demonstrate what can be achieved when providers and partners work toward a common goal," said Ram Puva, Executive Lead, Ontario Health Team of Northumberland. “By improving access to primary care and expanding team-based care options, we are helping more residents get the right care closer to home.”

Clearing the Health Care Connect Priority Waitlist

In 2025, Ontario challenged Ontario Health Teams and primary care partners to prioritize attaching residents who had been waiting the longest for a family physician or nurse practitioner through Health Care Connect.

In response, OHT-N worked closely with local physicians, nurse practitioners, primary care organizations, Health Care Connect Coordinators and community partners to coordinate attachment efforts and connect residents with available providers.

As a result, Northumberland has successfully cleared its priority HCC waitlist, ensuring all residents registered before January 1, 2025, have been offered attachment opportunities.

While these accomplishments mark significant progress, local partners recognize that demand for primary care continues as new residents move to the area and others become unattached.

To meet this need, Northumberland recently secured provincial funding to establish and expand Interprofessional Primary Care Teams, strengthening local capacity and creating new opportunities to connect residents with team-based care.

Together these initiatives are advancing Northumberland’s Primary Care Access and Attachment Strategy and supporting the broader goal of ensuring that every resident has access to a primary care team by 2029.

Still Looking for a Primary Care Provider?

Residents without a local family doctor or nurse practitioner are encouraged to register with Health Care Connect (HCC), Ontario's centralized patient attachment program.

To register, visit Health811.

“Access to primary care is the foundation of a healthy community," said Dr. Fraser Cameron, OHT-N primary Care Lead. "We are proud of the progress we’ve made and remail committed to building a stronger, more connected system for everyone in Northumberland."

For more information about Health Care Connect and primary care initiatives in Northumberland, please visit our website.

About the Ontario Health Team of Northumberland

The Ontario Health Team of Northumberland brings together health care providers, organizations, patients, caregivers, and community partners to deliver more connected, coordinated care for residents across Northumberland County. By working collaboratively, OHT-N is advancing innovative solutions that improve access, patient experience, provider experience, and population health outcomes.

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Media Contact

Tegan Roberts
Communications and Community Engagement Coordinator
Ontario Health Team of Northumberland
troberts@ohtnorthumberland.ca