Jane Philpott Appointed to Lead Ontario Care Team

The Ontario government has appointed Dr. Jane Philpott, former federal Liberal health minister and current dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Queen's University, to lead a new provincial Primary Care Action Team aimed at ensuring every resident has access to a primary care provider within five years. Philpott will begin her role on December 1, drawing on an interprofessional model of primary care she previously developed. This initiative comes in response to the over 2.5 million Ontarians currently without a family doctor, aiming to provide comprehensive, timely care through publicly funded teams. Health Minister Sylvia Jones expressed strong confidence in Philpott's ability to address this issue, highlighting her considerable experience. However, Ontario's NDP health critic, France Gélinas, remains skeptical about the government's commitment to public healthcare, suggesting a focus on privatization. The plan also includes reducing administrative burdens on healthcare providers and enhancing after-hours services and digital connectivity.