Email Sent on behalf of Fernando Tavares, Program Manager, Interprofessional Programs Unit, Primary Health Care Branch.
Dear Colleagues,
We have recently received questions from several of you regarding the deadline for the 2020/21 Annual Operating Plans (AOPs) and other timelines in the context of the work that is currently happening to deal with the impact of COVID-19 in Ontario.
At this time, we understand that your attention should be focused on planning and supporting patients, caregivers, and staff who may be impacted by COVID-19.
Annual Operating Plans
After much consideration, we have decided to delay the distribution of the 2020/21 AOPs. If you wish to get a head start on your AOP, you are welcome to use last year’s version as it will be very similar to this years template. We want to give extra time to organizations whose staff and leaders might be working on COVID-19 planning.
COVID-19
We have been receiving a lot of questions regarding operational issues generated by the spread of COVID-19. We wanted to share our key messages that have been developed for staff on how to respond to these questions.
- The Ministry of Health is supportive of interprofessional primary care teams supporting locally driven initiatives. The Ministry is asking for teams to deploy clinical resources where they are most needed.
- Interprofessional primary care teams should take the lead from Public Health experts (at the Federal, Provincial and Municipal levels), who are taking the lead on the response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
- The Ministry will consider reimbursing for extraordinary expenses incurred on a case by case basis, and should contact their Ministry representative.
- For issues related to critical shortages PPE of supplies and equipment, please contact EOCLogistics.MOH@ontario.ca.
We will continue to monitor this situation closely, and please reach out to your Ministry contact if you have additional questions or concerns.
Reporting Timelines:
As teams head into year end reporting, a number of question have come up with regard to pressures in meeting these timelines. We want to reassure you that staff have been directed to be flexible on report submission timelines. We understand that we are in uncharted waters, and things will come up that are not within your control, nor expected. We will work with you to address these issues as they arise but be reassured that deadlines will be treated as guidelines until things get back to normal.
On behalf of the Primary Health Care Branch staff, we thank you for your continued work toward keeping our communities safe and healthy.
Fernando Tavares
A/Program Manager, Interprofessional Programs Unit
Primary Health Care Branch
Ministry of Health
49 Place D’Armes Floor 3, Kingston, ON, K7L 5J3
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