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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2006-12-21, Page 6The team Clinton's newly-hired Family Health Team staff includes administrative lead Kim Van Wyk, left and nurse practitioners Jennifer Blackhall and Patti McManus. Dr. Martin Salter is one of six local doctors who have signed onto the team which is now up and running. (News-Record photo) There are limits to what you can give. As of January 1, 2007, only individuals can make federal political donations. • As a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada, you can give up to $1,100 in total per year to each registered party. • In addition, you can give up to $1,100 in total per year to the registered associations, nomination contestants and candidates of each registered party. • YQU can give up to $1,100 in total to the contestants in each registered party leadership contest. • You can also give up to $1,100 per election to each independent candidate. • You can no longer make a cash donation of more than $20. • Corporations, trade unions, associations and groups can no longer make political contributions. For more details on these and many other important changes to the Canada Elections Act, click on the Federal Accountability Act box at www.elections.ca or call 1-800-463-6868. TTY 1-800-361-8935 for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing tlections Canada PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2006. Clinton Family Health Team up and running By Jennifer Hubbard Clinton News-Record With a second nurse- practitioner starting work on Monday, Clinton's new Family Health Team (FHT) is up and running. Three new staff members have been hired — nurse practitioners Patti McManus and Jennifer Blackhall and administrative lead Kim Van Wyk — since the July announcement that Clinton would house its own teamand more may be on the way, according to Van Wyk. "We're working on plans to renovate the building to make it more accessible for our allied health professionals," she said. "We've been approved for more than what we already have, but we don't have anywhere to put them right now." All six of Clinton's doctors have signed onto the team — Dr. Maarten Bokhout, Dr. Keith Hay, Dr. Jan Raczycki, Dr. Peter Salsbury, Dr. Martin Salter, and Dr. Marianne Smith. A dietician, social worker and psychologist have also been approved. However, because Clinton is still under-serviced, Van Wyk said the team still needs at least one more physician. "Our family health team will be very attractive in recruiting because there's support from all of the other allied health professionals," she explained. "(Doctors) are not working on their own, plus they'll have access to a newly renovated building." Prior to the July 13 announcement by Ontario Minister of Health and Long- Term Care George Smitherman, Clinton was to be a part of the Huron FHT, based in Seaforth. "Seaforth was having difficulties getting their doctors to sign on, whereas ours were ready to go. There were differences in philosophies as to how the teams were going to be run," Van Wyk explained. "So,-••instead of losing the . family health team completely, George Smitherman split the team in two allowing us to both work on the model that we wanted." Van Wyk said governance was the main difference between the two FHT plans. Seaforth wanted its team to be governed by the community, while Clinton representatives were hoping for more input from the providers. An existing Family Health Network of doctors and computerized medical record system — implemented in 2003 and 2005, respectively — made the transition easier in Clinton. The Clinton FHT is one of 150 created by the Dalton McGuinty government since April 2005. "We know that people don't get sick conveniently between the hours of niRe and five," said Huron-Bruce MPP Carol Mitchell in a Nov. 7 press release. "Central Huron residents will benefit from improved access to health care services thanks to our new family health team and its staff, including our newest nurse practitioners and registered nurses." Both FHTs will be run by a board of directors. Clinton's board currently consists of four members — one representative from Community Care Access Centre (CCAC), Huron County Health Unit and Huron-Perth Healthcare Alliance and a local physician. Clinton's FHT business- plan was approved by the provincial government in August. McManus was hired that month, with Van Wyk following in October and Blackhall in December. Van Wyk is also a registered nurse. "We want to ensure that Clinton-•area residents have access to primary health care and illness treatment, but also begin focussing on disease prevention," Van Wyk said. "Another goal of the FHT is to increase the enrollment of patients for each physician. Once we have our allied professionals in place, they will be doing their part and make physicians more available to take on additional patients."