Vital Signs: February 2026

The Ontario Health Team of Northumberland (OHT-N) is developing its next five-year Strategic Plan, and we want to hear from you. Whether you've visited a family doctor, received care in the hospital, accessed community support services, cared for a loved one, or simply live in Northumberland County, your experiences and ideas matter. Your feedback will help us better understand the health care needs, challenges and priorities of our community as we plan for the future. Why Your Feedback Matters The OHT-N brings together health care providers, community organizations, patients, caregivers, and partners to improve how health and social services are planned and delivered across Northumberland County. As we develop our next Strategic Plan, we're looking to residents to help identify: The health and wellness needs that matter most to our community. Barriers people face when accessing care and services. Opportunities to strengthen partnerships and improve coordination across the health system. Priorities that should guide OHT-N's work over the next five years. Your input will help ensure our Strategic Plan reflects the voices and experiences of the people who live, work, and receive care in Northumberland. Take the Survey The survey takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes to complete, and your responses will remain confidential. The survey closes on Friday, September 4.  Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. Every response helps us better understand the needs of our community and will contribute to shaping a healthier future for everyone in Northumberland.

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. Featured Interviews Northumberland 89.7 FM Consider This Northumberland Media Contact Tegan Roberts Communications and Community Engagement Coordinator Ontario Health Team of Northumberland troberts@ohtnorthumberland.ca

The Ontario Health Team of Northumberland (OHT-N) is pleased to share its 2025–2026 Annual Report, highlighting a year of collaboration, innovation, and progress toward building a more connected health system for Northumberland County. The report showcases the collective efforts of OHT-N partners, providers, Experience Partners, and community organizations to improve access to care, strengthen system navigation, and enhance the patient and caregiver experience. Throughout the year, OHT-N advanced several key priorities, including primary care access and attachment, integrated care for older adults, mental health and addictions coordination, health equity initiatives, and the continued growth of digital navigation tools and resources. Highlights from the report include: Continued advancement of primary care attachment initiatives in support of the provincial goal of connecting every resident to a primary care provider or team by 2029 Expansion of the Primary Care Network and support for 72 providers using Online Appointment Booking More than 5,000 patient encounters through the Rural Outreach Clinic Launch and evaluation of the Essential Care Partner Program pilot Growth of the Experience Partner Council and Experience Partners in Projects program Ongoing development of community navigation resources, including mental health, caregiver, cancer screening, and elder care supports Strengthened health equity efforts, including support for Indigenous Cultural Safety training and planning for an Indigenous Navigator role As OHT-N enters the final year of its current strategic plan, the organization remains focused on strengthening partnerships, improving access to care, and planning for the future through the development of a new five-year strategic plan. We invite community members, partners, and stakeholders to explore the report and learn more about the progress being made to create a more connected, accessible, and patient-centred health system for Northumberland County.

Webinar: Navigating Senior Care in Northumberland: Understanding retirement living, long-term care and home supports Planning for senior care can feel overwhelming whether you are exploring options for yourself, supporting a loved one or helping clients and community members navigate available services. To help make the process easier, the OHT-N hosted a free virtual one-hour webinar focused on understanding senior care options and available home supports in Northumberland County. The session featured Daniel Clark, founder of Elderado , alongside Nousha Naweed and Vanessa Bright, Senior Managers from Ontario Health atHome . Together, they provided practical information, resources and guidance to help residents and caregivers make informed decisions about senior care planning. Participants learnt: How to explore and compare retirement home and long-term care home options Important considerations for elder and senior care planning How to access Ontario Health atHome services and supports What programs and services are available to help older adults remain supported while at home Webinar Recording Recorded on Thursday, June 18

The Ontario Health Team of Northumberland (OHT-N), in partnership with the Human Services and Justice Coordinating Committee (HSJCC), was proud to welcome service providers, community members, caregivers, and residents to the first Come Together Northumberland community event in Cobourg on Friday May 8 at the Cobourg Community Centre.

PORT HOPE, ON — The Ontario government is taking the next steps to deliver its Primary Care Action Plan, which is on track to connect everyone in the province to a family doctor or primary care provider by 2029. Today, David Piccini, MPP, Northumberland-Peterborough South announced at the Community Health Centres of Northumberland, that as part of this plan to connect everyone in Ontario to a publicly funded family doctor or primary care team, the Ontario government is investing more than $2.2 Million to connect 5,000 people to primary care in Northumberland County. "This investment is about delivering real results for people here in Northumberland,” said David Piccini, Member of Provincial Parliament, Northumberland-Peterborough South. “By connecting to 5,000 more residents to primary care, we’re improving access to care across the region and building a stronger, more resilient local health system. It also supports the incredible healthcare workers on the front lines, giving them the tools and team-based resources they need to continue delivering high-quality care close to home.” The Northumberland County Primary Care Network (PCN) of the Ontario Health Team of Northumberland (OHT-N) came together throughout the Fall of 2025 with a shared goal of attaching patients and expanding interprofessional services for Northumberland County. The Community Health Centres of Northumberland (CHCN), Trent Hills Family Health Team (THFHT), and Northumberland Family Health Team (NFHT) with an expansion of services to Ganaraska Family Health Organization and Cobourg Family Health Organization were funded through the latest call for proposals under the Primary Care Action Plan, with all 124 teams receiving funding expected to connect another 500,000 patients to primary care across Ontario. Each team has established a plan to attach a high proportion of unattached people in their community, with a priority of those on the Health Care Connect waitlist. All of the funded organizations deliver unique services that support residents in Northumberland County. With the support of family physicians and nurse practitioners, they will formally attach an additional 5,000 patients and extend access to interprofessional, team-based primary care to more than 15,000 residents who were previously without it. These teams are working with our provincial partners at Health Care Connect to attach new and local patients to a family physician or nurse practitioner. Through the 2026 Budget, the province is also increasing overall funding for the plan to a total of $3.4 billion between 2025 and 2029. "This investment demonstrates what can be achieved when partners across the health system unite around a shared commitment to improving access to care. Expanding interprofessional primary care teams will connect more residents to continuous, high quality care while strengthening the health system as a whole. It marks an important step forward for Northumberland County." – Susan Walsh President and CEO Northumberland Hills Hospital, and Co-Chair of OHT-N Collaboration Council. "Team-based primary care is one of the most effective ways to improve access and the patient experience. By building on existing team-based care and expanding capacity through collaboration we can attach more people to care while also supporting providers. This approach helps create a more connected system for our community”. – Ed Ganon, Executive Director Lakeview Family Health Team and Co-Chair OHT N Collaboration Council. "As a physician, I see firsthand the impact that access to primary care has on patients’ health and well-being. This investment will allow more people to be connected to a primary care team where they can receive preventative care, manage chronic conditions and build ongoing relationships. It also reinforces our ability to work as interprofessional teams, improving both patient outcomes and provider capacity across the system." – Dr. Fraser Cameron, Physician Lead, Ontario Health Team of Northumberland. The province has also exceeded its 2025-2026 attachment goal under the Primary Care Action Plan, which was to connect 300,000 patients to a primary care provider by March 31, 2026. As of January 1, 2026, the province has already attached 330,000 people to care in 2025-2026, surpassing its goal by more than 30,000 with three months still to go. "Through our Primary Care Action Plan, we are connecting more people to care and have already exceeded our 2025-26 attachment target,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “By connecting more families to care in Northumberland, our government is taking the next step toward connecting everyone in the province to primary care by 2029." Through Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care , the Ontario government continues to take bold and decisive action to grow the province’s highly skilled health-care workforce and ensure people and their families have access to high quality care, closer to home, for generations to come. QUICK FACTS Ontario’s Primary Care Action Team is drawing on best-in-class models of care to implement its action plan, supported by the government’s investment of more than $3.4 billion to connect approximately two million more people to primary care by 2029, which will achieve the government’s goal of connecting everyone in the province to primary care. The government is making significant progress on its goal of clearing the Health Care Connect waitlist as of January 1, 2025. That waitlist has been reduced by more than 87 per cent as the plan continues to hit its targets and deliver faster access to high-quality care. Ontarians looking to find a family doctor or nurse practitioner can register with Health Care Connect or call 811. • Interprofessional primary care teams connect people to a range of health professionals that work together under one roof, including family physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, registered practical nurses, physician assistants, physiotherapists, social workers, dieticians and pharmacists, helping patients to receive more connected and convenient care. Since 2018, Ontario has added nearly 20,000 additional physicians to its health care workforce, including an over 14 per cent increase in family doctors. "I want to thank the Province for taking this step. Connecting more Northumberland residents to team-based primary care is key to improved health outcomes for our community. This investment reflects the strength of leadership and collaboration among local health care partners, and a shared commitment to improving access to care. Expanding team-based services will enhance the patient experience and build a more integrated, responsive health system for residents across Northumberland." - Bob Crate, Warden, Northumberland County "This investment by the Province is a step toward connecting all residents to timely and equitable primary health care professionals across our region. Supporting primary care access is essential to the health and well-being of our community." - Olena Hankivsky, Mayor, Municipality of Port Hope Check out recent media interviews to learn more about this funding announcement: Ontario Morning with Ramraajh Sharvendiran Media Contact Tegan Roberts Communications and Community Engagement Coordinator Ontario Health Team of Northumberland 289-215-2590 troberts@ohtnorthumberland.ca MPP Contact Chloe Carnegie Office of MPP David Piccini 905-372-4000 chloe.carnegie@pc.ola.org

Northumberland County, ON – The Ontario Health Team of Northumberland (OHT-N) is pleased to announce the appointment of Ram Puva as its new Executive Lead, effective Monday, March 16, 2026. Ram Puva joins OHT-N with more than a decade of leadership experience across Ontario’s healthcare system, spanning hospital, regional, and provincial environments. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a strong commitment to fostering collaboration among partners, enhancing care delivery, and supporting integrated, system-wide approaches to leadership. Most recently, Ram held a senior leadership role with Southlake Health, where he provided enterprise leadership within the Regional Cardiac Centre, supporting quality, safety, and operational performance across a complex clinical program. His previous experience also includes leadership roles with The Hospital for Sick Children, Ontario Health’s Trillium Gift of Life Network, and the South East Local Health Integration Network. As Executive Lead, Ram will guide the continued advancement of OHT-N’s priorities, including strengthening collaboration across sectors, improving care coordination, and advancing a more connected and integrated health system for residents of Northumberland County. Reporting to the OHT-N Collaboration Council through the Co-Chairs, he will work closely with partners, stakeholders, staff, and community members to support system planning and implementation, and to ensure alignment with Ministry of Health and Ontario Health priorities. In this role, Ram will also provide leadership to the core OHT-N team responsible for implementation, including project management, population health management, quality improvement, communications, engagement, and administrative functions. He will hold operational accountability for the OHT-N budget, as approved by the Collaboration Council. The Ontario Health Team of Northumberland (OHT-N) is a collaborative network of local health and social care partners working together to deliver more integrated and coordinated care for residents across Northumberland County. Guided by a commitment to person-centred care, health equity, and meaningful community engagement, OHT-N brings organizations together to improve how people experience care across the system. This appointment marks an important step forward as OHT-N continues to build on its foundational work and advance initiatives that support better health outcomes and experiences for the communities it serves. Media Contact: Tegan Roberts Communications and Community Engagement Coordinator Ontario Health Team of Northumberland troberts@ohtnorthumberland.ca

Members of the NHH/OHT-N Essential Care Partner Working Group. The inter-disciplinary team—including primary care, nursing, allied health, social work, home care, clinical information, ward clerks, leadership, volunteers and people with lived experience—co-designed and will monitor NHH’s Essential Care Partner Pilot project with guidance from the Ontario Caregiver Organization.

The Ontario Health Team of Northumberland (OHT-N) and Community Health Centres of Northumberland (CHCN) are partnering to offer a free Women’s Health event on Saturday, June 14 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at CHCN’s Port Hope (99 Toronto Road) location.