Northbrook Family Health Team

Jeff Green | Apr 01, 2010

Two of the key figures in the development of the Lakeland Family Health Team in Northbrook brought a status report to North Frontenac Council last week.

The project manager, Janice Powell from Denbigh, and Kimberly Bain of the Bain Consulting Group reported about the prospects for the Plevna Satellite Clinic that was included in the Family Health Team application that received approval in principal late last year.

Janice Powell said that her involvement began when she agreed to join the Addington Highlands Health care committee “on a short term basis” in the summer of 2008.

“We were looking at doctor recruitment Family Health Centres, and other options, eventually decision with Doctor Tobia to apply for a Family Health Team,” she told Council.

Now Powell is spending a lot more time than she ever planned working on this project, with the help of Bains consulting.

Kimberly Bains been engaged to help prepare the operational plan for the Family Heath Team (FHT), which will include renovations to the existing clinic in Northbrook, as well as the construction of new satellite clinics in Denbigh and Plevna.

Both Kimberly Bains and Janice Powell pointed out that while the Lakeland FHT has been approved in principal, and the application included the two satellite clinics, until the operational plan is accepted by the Ministry of Health there is no guarantee that all of the plans that have been submitted will be accommodated.

“We are operating on the assumption that the three locations will be up and running by next year,” said Kimberly Bains, “but in the end the ministry will let us know what they will fund.”

Bains told Council that the Family Health Team Committee is planning to submit its operational plan by the end of April, which will make them the first of the 26 Family Health Teams that we approved last fall to summit their plans, so they hope to hear back before some of the others.”

The construction of a building to house the proposed Plevna clinic will be the North Frontenac townships major contribution to the project.

On that score, Bain was able to provide some detail as to what the planning group for the health teams will be looking for.

“In terms of size, we are looking for a building that is 2040 square feet at a minimum, and as big as 3116 square feet. All of the interior will be provided by the FHT, all we need from you is the shell and hopefully you will be able to build the rooms to our specifications,” Kimberly Bain said.

North Frontenac has applied for a grant to cover the cost of construction, and should know this week if the application was successful.

Otherwise it appears the township will need to fund the construction and recoup their costs by way of rent charged back to the FHT.

“The Family Health Team would be able to pay rent as high as $19 per square foot inclusive of utilities or $13 net for the space,” Bain said.

“If we don’t get the grant, is it possible for us to seek funding from the Ministry of Health to cover the construction costs?” asked Mayor Maguire.

“We could go to the ministry and ask for funding, and they may say yes, but the chances aren't that high,” Bain said. “They did that for some of the earlier Family Health Teams, and it was not seen as a good idea, so they are reluctant.”

Waiting for a decision would also cause some delays, and the planning thus far has been for the new facilities to be up and running by the beginning of 2011.

The estimated cost of the new building is about $400,000

Plans are being developed for a two phased approach to building the FHT. Since the construction would be minimal in Northbrook, as soon as funding becomes available hiring for the Northbrook clinic would start. A nutritionist as well as a nurse to run a Diabetes program will be hired, and other people as well, depending on which services are eventually approved. Once the satellite clinics in Denbigh and Plevna are ready, the staff will already be in place to provide part-time service to those communities.

Addington Highalnds is considering the former Denbigh School house as a building that could be retro-fitted for use as a clinic

Once the operational plan is submitted, it will take 6 to 8 weeks for the ministry to respond.