Kingsville Discusses Funding for Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic with Minister of Health

Deputy Mayor Gord Queen, Councillors Laura Lucier, Kimberly DeYong and Chief Administrative Officer John Norton are at the Association of Municipalities Ontario (AMO) Conference. On Monday August 15, 2022 they met with the Minister of Health to request funding for a Nurse Practitioner-Led clinic in the Town.

“Kingsville is designated an area of high physician need,” said Deputy Mayor Gord Queen. “23% percent of our population does not have a primary care provider, and 21% of active family physicians plan to retire in the next two years. These are concerning numbers for the future of healthcare in Kingsville.”

Queen, Lucier and DeYong are acting on behalf of all of the Council when they ask the Ministry to fund a Nurse Practitioner program.

“Kingsville’s 65+ population is above the provincial average,” said Councillor Laura Lucier. “We also have a large population of international agricultural workers, many of whom end up in emergency wards of hospitals when attempting to access care. A Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic would alleviate pressure from our emergency system and ensure these individuals receive the health support they need.”

Kingsville does not have its own hospital. The closest hospital is Erie Shores HealthCare, which is located in Leamington. Erie Shores recently announced the hospital is at 122% capacity.

“A Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic is the answer for Kingsville,” said Councillor Kimberly DeYong. “We’d love to see this clinic and the new TMC Urgent Care Clinic working together to provide residents with a local option for diagnostics, bloodwork, and consistent care. We believe there is a crisis in the making, and it will get worse if left unattended.”

The AMO Conference continues through Wednesday, August 17, 2022.

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