Your Weekly News & Updates
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Partnership to improve access to psychological services for front line workers
AFHTO, OCFP, NPAO, and the Ontario Psychological Association partner to improve access to psychological services for front line workers- We would like to announce two pathways of care for mental health services from a Psychologist through the Ontario Psychological Association (OPA).
One stream is for your patients who are experiencing mental health issues such as anxiety and depression related to the COVID 19 pandemic. The OPA has set up a network of psychologists who can provide no-cost short term mental health support for COVID related mental health issues.
The second stream provides access to mental health support to you as primary care providers. As professionals providing front line care, we recognize the stresses to which you are exposed. Find out more regarding these two opportunities for mental health support (please do not forward this letter).
Letter from AFHTO’s President
On Friday we emailed a letter from AFHTO’s President and Chair Dr. Tom Richard:
“As we approach a new month contending with this pandemic, I thought it would be a good time to touch base.
The continued disruptions, frustrations and adjustments of how we provide our services has been a tremendous source of anxiety to ourselves, our families and those we look after.
Yet, despite all this, primary care continues to step up and ensure our patients get the care they need.” Read the full letter here.
Pandemic Pay
The Ministry is working on its policy and implementation related to the release of pandemic pay and who is eligible. As we wait for further details, we will be working with our primary care partners to reinforce the important role primary care providers play in the COVID response and continue to advocate on behalf of team-based primary care. More details will be made available as information starts to roll out.
And as a reminder, if you’re an interprofessional health provider at a FHT, A team of researchers wants to learn more about your experience as a provider during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 350 IHPs have filled it out to date and the deadline is this Thursday, May 7. Find out more here.
Update to critical supplies & equipment survey portal- training sessions
On Friday, the Ministry announced the health sector PPE survey would transition to an enhanced submission portal as of yesterday, May 4. To support the transition, they are hosting several webinars as well as providing respondents with detailed support material that they can access and reference as they input their inventory data. Training sessions include:
- Tuesday, May 5: 1-2pm – Click here to join
- Wednesday, May 6: 11am-12pm – Click here to join
- Thursday, May 7: 11am-12pm – Click here to join
- Friday, May 8: 11am-12pm – Click here to join
Mental Health Week
It’s Canadian Mental Health Association Mental Health Week. This year’s theme is social connection. You can get their toolkit here and find relevant articles here. They may help you help your community not just get loud, but #GetReal.
On a related note, there is a free resource, the Psychological First Aid for Frontline Health Care Providers: A Quick Guide to Wellness, a workbook recommended by the Ontario Psychological Association.
Updated screening and testing guidance and more
On May 2, the government released updates to
- the Provincial Testing Guidance,
- Quick Reference Public Health Guidance on Testing and Clearance,
- Reference Document for Symptoms and
- Patient Screening Guidance
We continue to update several pages on our site with resources and news:
- Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates– the original page, with news and Ministry situation reports (please note that the Ministry Situation Reports on COVID-19 are posted daily so review them to better understand the provincial response)
- COVID-19 assessment centres across Ontario (updated daily; members only per Ministry request)
- COVID-19 information for Patients, Caregivers and the Public
- Includes OCFP’s new infographic urging patients to come in for non-COVID care
- Infection control resources and tools for primary care
- H+K Memos and Insight Notes on Government Press Releases
- Management and operations, human resources and COVID-19
- Mental health and wellness during COVID-19
- Providing Comprehensive Care During COVID-19
- Virtual Care, Digital Health and COVID-19
We’ll update these on a regular basis as we receive relevant resources, while trying to reduce duplication with other sources. We will continue to update the news page daily.
Infection prevention and control CoP in Ontario Central West Region
Public Health Ontario would like to invite Primary Care workers responsible for Infection Prevention and Control in the Ontario Central West Region (those located within Halton, Hamilton, WDG, WW, Brant, Niagara, and HN public health units) to their virtual Community of Practice meeting on May 14, 2020 from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m.
The meeting will focus on the latest COVID-19 updates and provide an opportunity for primary care colleagues to discuss their questions. If you are interested in attending, please email ipaccentralwest@oahpp.ca.
Access information:
1. Please dial in to the teleconference at 1-866-261-6767 and enter code: 4889444#
2. Join the webinar and enter your full name
Ontario Community Support Association meals/essentials delivery
Ontario Community Support Association has established a link on their website to connect individuals/community providers to meals services/essentials delivery.
In this portal, you can search Meals providers or Essential Service providers by searching based on address. If service providers exist in the area, a referral can be made directly through the portal to the provider. If nothing can be found there, a link will pop up asking to “Sign Me Up” to receive a phone call from a Canadian Red Cross (CRC) Coordinator to make connection to services.
Seeking participants to examine practice patterns during COVID-19
Two primary care researchers, Rachelle Ashcroft, and Catherine Donnelly are submitting a CIHR Rapid COVID-19 response grant to examine practice patterns of interprofessional primary care teams during COVID-19. The grant is due Monday May 11. If your team would be interested in participating in the study please contact Catherine by email Catherine.donnelly@queensu.ca for further study details.
Financial management webinar series
The Ontario Nonprofit Network has launched a free four-part financial management webinar series to help nonprofits adapt and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, starting May 7:
- Scenario planning and cash flow management in uncertain times, May 7
- Tips and traps to avoid when banking online, May 21
- How to cut, contain and restructure costs in uncertain times, June 4
- Responding to financial crises then and now, June 18
Ask Me Anything about Health Privacy, May 6, 2020
These monthly webinars give you the chance to ask Kate Dewhirst about your Health Privacy concerns. Register here.
Advance Care Planning and Goals of Care In The COVID-19 Pandemic, May 6, 2020
Choosing Wisely Canada hosts weekly webinars to discuss pressing topics around COVID-19. Join to learn and connect around freeing up these limited healthcare resources. Learn more here.
Complicated Grief and Trauma – Skills Building Education, May 6 – July 15, 2020
This ten-session webinar series will focus on COVID-19 related complicated and traumatic grief. Provided by the HPCO and CHPCA. Learn more here.
PEER’s review of the evidence for COVID-19, May 7, 2020
Join this CFPC webinar as part of the COVID-19 Pivots. Find the webinar link posted here.
Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and COVID-19, May 7, 2020
Join the Family Physician Airways Group for a discussion around CHF and COVID-19. To register, click here.
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