"Improving our healthcare experience together – where people are heard, care is connected,
and whole health is possible for everyone"
Collaboration is at the core of our work to improve the healthcare experience. We are thankful to everyone we have worked with to help achieve our goal of creating more connected care for people. In this newsletter, we are happy to share updates on community projects we have supported recently.
COVID-19 RESPONSE & RECOVERY WORK
Carling Heights COVID-19 Clinical Assessment Centre: Paxlovid availability
 
The Carling Heights Clinical Assessment Centre for COVID-19 now offers access to Paxlovid, an oral antiviral treatment, to patients who are at higher risk of sever outcomes. The Centre is following recommendations from the Ontario Science Table and Ontario Health to determine eligibility.

Patients who feel they are eligible for this treatment should speak to their primary care provider or self-refer to the Centre by calling 519-685-8500 x 72256.
 
To learn more about the Clinical Assessment Centre, visit https://covidtestinglm.ca/carling-heights-clinical-assessment-centre/.

Improving access to the COVID-19 vaccine

Community members rolled up their sleeves on February 12 to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccine clinic in their neighbourhood. The clinic, held at Kipps Lane Community Centre, provided vaccines to 180 people in one day. This included 47 first doses.

We were honoured to support this clinic in partnership with the Middlesex-London EMS, Middlsex-London Health Unit, London Cross-Cultural Learner Centre, London Middlesex Primary Care Alliance, Helping Hands Without Borders Canada, London InterCommunity Health Centre, and the Kipps Lane Community Centre.

Interpretation Services & Bus Tickets Available
 
Free, on-demand virtual and phone interpretation services are available to support equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccine, and other vaccines.

We are also offering free bus vouchers/tickets to support vaccine appointments when transportation is a barrier (any vaccine, not only COVID).
 
If you are interested in either of these services, please contact Vala Gylfadottir.

Ontario Extending Free Rides to Vaccination Sites for People with Mobility Issues
 
The Province has extended its Accessible Drive to Vaccines program to March 31, 2022. This program provides door-to-door rides to vaccination sites for people with disabilities, including seniors with mobility issues, who face challenges accessing safe transportation. Learn more here.
OPERATIONS TEAM ADDS NEW STAFF
Please join us in welcoming Chantel Antone to the Operations Team as the First Nations Health Care Navigation-Co-Design Lead.

Chantel will connect with people from the three local First Nation communities and the local urban Indigenous community to understand how Indigenous Health Service Providers and Indigenous Peoples find information about health care and social services today so that we can make improvements to finding this information in the future.

Welcome, Chantel!
FROM OUR PARTNERS
We would like to share the following resources from our partners for you to check out:

  • Patient Resource: Leave the Pack Behind - Tools to Quit Smoking Virtual Group. Review the physical and psychological aspects of nicotine addiction, strategies to help you quit, and medication options that can set you up for success. Free group run by Thames Valley Family Health Team, available to the public. Next one-time session is March 10, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm. This session is offered again on March 24, from 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm. Learn more here.

  • Feedback wanted: Accès Franco-Santé London has created a bilingual survey for people working in the health and/or social sector to better understand the knowledge of their services and how they can improve their visibility and possibly service offering. Survey closes March 15. Click here to respond.

  • Feedback wanted: The Ontario government is seeking input from the community as it launches a review of the province’s Anti-Racism Strategic Plan. The consultations will help inform programs supporting public education and awareness, community collaboration, and anti-racism initiatives like the Anti-Black Racism Strategy and the development of an Indigenous-focused strategy. Visit the consultation page to learn more and provide your feedback.
Current Opportunities
Primary Care Clinical Lead
We are looking for an exceptional primary care leader to work effectively with Middlesex London OHT Operations Team, members, and stakeholders, to provide clinical expertise and leadership to the activities of the Middlesex London OHT as a Clinical Lead (Primary Care). This role is a 0.2 FTE.

Read the full role description here. Please share with anyone you feel would be interested. The deadline to apply is March 18, 2022.
Quality and Analytics Working Groups
We are looking for people with expertise in quality improvement and/or analytics, including patients, clients, care partners, and healthcare providers, to help us improve local population health outcomes.
 
We have three working groups that need members:

1. Alternate Level of Care (ALC) Working Group
Goal: Improving overall access to care in the most appropriate setting
Measured By: A reduction in the percentage of alternate level of care (ALC) days

2. Mental Health and Addictions Working Group
Goal: Increase overall access to community Mental Health and Addictions services
Measured By: A decrease in the rate of visits to the Emergency Department as first point of contact for Mental Health & Addictions related care

3. Cancer Screening Working Group
Goal: Increase overall access to preventative care
Measured By: An increase in the percentage of screening-eligible patients up to date with: pap tests; mammograms; and colorectal screening.
 
For more information or to participate, please reach out to Mulugeta Chala: Mulugeta.Chala@mloht.ca.
Get involved with Middlesex London OHT
Formalize your membership
Becoming a member of the Middlesex London OHT signals support for the Middlesex London OHT’s work to improve our healthcare experience together, moving forward. There are four types of membership agreements: Healthcare Organization, Community Organization, Individual Member, Cluster.

If you would like to learn more about formalizing your membership, please reach out to Middlesex London OHT Lead Amber Alpaugh-Bishop: Amber.Alpaugh-Bishop@mloht.ca.
Please share this update with your sector/cluster!

If you have received this email and have not already joined our mailing list, please subscribe.

We are thankful for the hard work of our Coordinating Council. View current Coordinating Council list here.

If you have any questions, reach out at info@mloht.ca.