Peterborough Region Clears Priority Health Care Connect Waitlist, Connecting 9,473 Residents to Primary Care

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 13:47:25 GMT

Health system partners help clear patients on Health Care Connect list before January 1, 2025, marking significant progress in improving access to primary care across Peterborough City and County.

PETERBOROUGH, ON – September 9, 2026 – Peterborough Ontario Health Team (POHT), in partnership with local primary care professionals and health system partners, has reached an important milestone in improving access to primary care across Peterborough City and County. As a result of a coordinated community-wide initiative, all 9,473 residents who were on the provincial Health Care Connect waitlist before January 1, 2025, have now been successfully cleared from the waitlist.

Through coordinated efforts involving Peterborough Family Health Team , Peterborough Community Health Centre , Peterborough 360 Degree Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic , Victorian Order of Nurses Nurse Practitioner Clinic in Keene , community family doctors, nurse practitioners, interprofessional health care providers, and Health Care Connect Care Connectors, Peterborough has made significant progress toward Ontario’s Primary Care Action Plan goal of connecting every resident to a family doctor, nurse practitioner, or primary care team by 2029.

A Major Step Toward Care Close to Home

“Connecting more residents with primary care takes coordination across our entire Peterborough Ontario Health Team community. This milestone reflects the strength of our community, with family doctors, nurse practitioners, allied health professionals, local primary care organizations, and other health system partners coming together to improve access to care across Peterborough City and County.” Connor Kemp, Executive Transformation Lead, Peterborough Ontario Health Team

Having an ongoing relationship with a family doctor, nurse practitioner, or primary care team improves access to preventive care, chronic disease management, and timely treatment, while reducing pressure on emergency departments.

In 2025, Ontario Health Teams and local primary care partners responded to Ontario’s Primary Care Action Plan by focusing on connecting residents who had been waiting the longest for a family doctor or nurse practitioner through Health Care Connect, with some having waited more than four years.

This achievement reflects sustained collaboration among local health system partners to ensure residents receive care as close to home as possible. Alongside this work, local organizations have received provincial support to expand primary care teams, helping more residents access comprehensive, team-based primary care.

A Coordinated Local Effort

“Connecting thousands of residents to primary care across Peterborough City and County is a monumental achievement for our region. This success demonstrates what is possible when our provincial government works alongside dedicated local health partners, family doctors, and nurse practitioners. Reaching this milestone brings us one step closer to ensuring that every family in Peterborough-Kawartha has access to high-quality care close to home.” Dave Smith, MPP for Peterborough—Kawartha

Reaching this milestone required close collaboration between POHT, family doctors, nurse practitioners, local primary care organizations, Ontario Health atHome Health Care Connect Care Connectors, and other health system partners.

While POHT does not directly deliver patient care, it brings health system partners together to improve how care is planned, coordinated, and delivered across Peterborough City and County. By working with local organizations and using community health data to identify priorities, POHT helps support collaborative solutions that improve access to care.

This collaborative work included the local efforts of Peterborough Family Health Team’s Connect Clinic, Peterborough Community Health Centre, Peterborough 360 Degree Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic, Victoria Order of Nurses Nurse Practitioner Clinic in Keene, community family doctors, nurse practitioners, and interprofessional healthcare providers.

Together, these coordinated efforts helped connect thousands of Peterborough residents with a family doctor, nurse practitioner, or primary care team closer to home.

“This milestone represents thousands of people in our community who have been waiting for primary care. We’re proud of the role the Connect Clinic and Peterborough Family Health Team have played in this collective effort.” Duff Sprague, Chief Executive Officer, Peterborough Family Health Team

Ontario’s Broader Primary Care Plan

Peterborough’s progress contributes to Ontario’s broader goal of connecting every person in the province to ongoing primary care by 2029.

Ontario’s Primary Care Action Plan includes several strategies to help more people connect with primary care, including expanding team-based primary care, clearing the January 1, 2025 Health Care Connect waitlist, strengthening the primary care workforce, and improving how patients are connected with available care.

Quotes from Other Health System Partners

“Improving access to primary care requires strong collaboration, shared commitment, and a focus on the diverse needs of our community. We’re proud to work alongside our local partners to help more residents connect with ongoing, team-based care, and we look forward to building on this progress together.” Ashley Safar, Executive Director, Peterborough Community Health Centre

“Nurse practitioner-led care is an important part of our local primary care system. At the 360 NPLC, we’re proud to provide accessible, team-based care that builds lasting relationships with patients and responds to the unique needs of our community. We’re pleased to work alongside our partners to help more residents connect with the ongoing primary care they need." Danielle Howson, Nurse Practitioner Lead / Executive Director, Peterborough 360 Degree Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic

“Improving access to needed primary health care requires our local system to work together. This achievement reflects the shared commitment of family doctors, nurse practitioners and primary care organizations to connecting more of Peterborough's residents with ongoing care.” Dr. Kathleen Flynn, Primary Care Network Lead, Peterborough Ontario Health Team

Still Looking for a Family Doctor or Nurse Practitioner?

Peterborough City and County residents who do not currently have a family doctor or nurse practitioner should continue to register with Health Care Connect. This provincial program can help you connect with a local family doctor or nurse practitioner who is accepting patients. You can still register even if you already have a family doctor or nurse practitioner.

Residents can register with Health Care Connect by:

Registering online at ontario.ca/healthcareconnect
Or call 8-1-1 / TTY: 711 (Health 811)

Residents who do not currently have a family doctor or nurse practitioner can access care at Peterborough Family Health Team’s Connect Clinic. Intake appointments can be booked online or by calling 705-651-4866.

Residents looking for information about Health Care Connect or local health care options, if you don’t have a family doctor or nurse practitioner, can also visit Peterborough Ontario Health Team’s website .

For emergencies, call 911 or visit the nearest emergency department.

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About Peterborough Ontario Health Team
Peterborough Ontario Health Team (POHT), made up of over 30 local partners, brings together health care organizations, professionals, patients, caregivers, community partners, and community members to improve how services are planned, coordinated, and delivered across Peterborough City and County. By working together, POHT is helping create a more connected health system that improves access to care, strengthens collaboration, and supports better experiences and outcomes for patients, families, caregivers, and the community.

Media Contacts

Preyanka Sivacheliyan
Communications and Community Engagement Specialist
Peterborough Ontario Health Team
psivacheliyan@poht.ca
www.poht.ca

Sally Carson

Executive Assistant

Office of M.P.P. Dave Smith

sally.carson@pc.ola.org

New Primary Care Network Lead

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 10:39:19 GMT

Welcome Our New Primary Care Network Lead

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Kathleen Flynn, BSc, MD, CCFP, FCFP , as the new Primary Care Network (PCN) Lead for the Peterborough Ontario Health Team (OHT).

Dr. Flynn brings nearly three decades of experience as a family physician in Peterborough, including her longstanding work supporting students and young adults through Trent University Student Health Services. She is widely respected for her compassionate approach to care, her commitment to collaboration and continuing medical education, and her ability to bring people together around shared goals. She has been actively involved in the Peterborough OHT's Primary Care Leadership Council since its inception and currently serves on the OHT Stewardship Committee.

In this role, Dr. Flynn will work closely with me and our community partners to strengthen engagement with family doctors, nurse practitioners, and other healthcare professionals across the OHT, ensuring primary care remains at the foundation of planning, decision-making, and system transformation efforts. She will help advance priorities related to access and attachment, integrated care, chronic disease management, cancer screening, and digital health initiatives. Her leadership will be instrumental as we continue building stronger connections among family doctors, nurse practitioners, other healthcare professionals, healthcare organizations, and system partners in support of better health and care experiences for all within our OHT catchment.

Dr. Flynn’s deep roots in our community, her thoughtful leadership style, and her genuine commitment to improving care make her an outstanding addition to the OHT leadership team. I am excited to partner with Dr. Flynn as we strengthen the role of primary care within the OHT and work together to advance the priorities that matter most to our community.

Connor Kemp

Executive Transformation Lead

Peterborough Ontario Health Team

Dr. Kathleen Flynn, BSc, MD, CCFP, FCFP
Primary Care Network (PCN) Lead

Peterborough OHT News

Peterborough Region Clears Priority Health Care Connect Waitlist, Connecting 9,473 Residents to Primary Care

Health system partners help clear patients on Health Care Connect list before January 1, 2025, marking significant progress in improving access to primary care across Peterborough City and County.

New Primary Care Network Lead

Welcome Our New Primary Care Network Lead ﻿

Welcome Our New Primary Care Network Lead