Primary Health Care

PRIMARY HEALTH CARE SERVICES INCLUDE:

Public Health;
Community Nurse Resource Centre;
Midwifery;
Diabetes Education Resources
Pediatric Speech Language;
Audiology;
Baby First;
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Mentor Program;
Supportive Housing Services;
Medical Officer of Health.

WHAT IS PRIMARY HEALTH CARE?

Primary Health Care is the most appropriate health care by the most appropriate provider in the most appropriate setting. Primary Health Care provides an alternative to accessing health care services through the hospital or physicians' office. The move to a primary health care model of service delivery will improve an individual's access to services and programs, ensure they receive the very best quality of care, giving them more involvement in their own care and offer an alternate location for seeking the care they need. PHC has four main components:

1. Clinical Services - the entry into the health care system, health and physicial assessments, clinical skills with in scope of practice of professionals, screenings and chronic care management.

2. Education/Wellness - teach, counsel and assist individuals, families or communities to assume greater responsibility for the prevention of illness and the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health. As well, provide assistance with coordination of information and resources.

3. Advocacy - defending or promoting the interest of individuals or groups. Assist in providing an environment in which the client feels comfortable and supported to make decisions.

4. Research - in assessing the effectiveness of activities through best practices, evaluation and collection of information.

The PHC building in Flin Flon is situated at 1 North Avenue and is home to 3 Teams: Infant/Child, Youth/Women's and Men’s Services will include but are not limited to the following programs: CNRC, Public Health, Mental Health, Baby First, Travel Health, Well Baby Clinics, Pre-School Clinics, Health Fairs, Immunizations, Blood Pressure Monitoring, School Health, Smoking Cessation, Ticker Challenge, Heart to Heart, Prenatal Classes, Dietitian, Speech Language Diabetes Education, etc.

In Flin Flon, the Senior’s Health Team is located at 50 Church Street and the services available include Home Care, Healthy Seniors, Healthy Aging Clinics, and Audiology (currently vacant).

The PHC building in The Pas is located at 111 Cook Avenue and home to all 4 Teams: Infant/Child, Youth/Women's, Men’s, and the Seniors'. All of the above mentioned services is available as well as Midwifery Services and the Mentorship Program.

Individuals can access services in a variety of ways - phoning ahead, booking appointments or walk-in and self referrals. Once into the system, an individual can have a direct referral to a health care provider within the system, eg. Immunization Coordinator for Travel Health services, Diabetes Educator for Diabetes management, or Primary Health Care Nurse for Immunizations, Well Baby Clinics or Well Women’s Care, etc.

If the client identifies that more than one service or program may be required, a case management model is implemented. Case management allows for interrelated activities by an integrated C.A.R.E.S. Team designed to support individuals and communities in their efforts to achieve optimal health and well being in a complex health and social environment and when resources are finite.

C.A.R.E.S. is a Comprehensive Assessment, Referral and Entry System which focuses on the client and advocates for the rights of the client. Services within the C.A.R.E.S. Program are undertaken at the request of and with the informed consent of the client and promote the client rights such as:

The right to be treated in a manner that is courteous and respectful, free from mental, physical and financial abuse.
The right to express personal values and preferences.
The right to self-determination, dignity and privacy.
The right to participate in the assessment and the development of the care plan.
The right to have personal information treated confidentially.
The right to access information about the services being provided.
The right to refuse services or express concerns or changes without fear of interference, coercion, discrimination or reprisal.

The C.A.R.E.S. Program will seek to balance client need with available resources while striving to provide the highest quality service.

INFANT/CHILD HEALTH TEAM

Infant/Child Team is a multi-disciplinary team that has been established to address the health issues of the children of NOR-MAN RHA and consists of the following disciplines: Public Health Nurses, Diabetes Education Nurse, Immunization Coordinator, Baby First Home Visitors, Mental Health Clinicians, Regional Community Health Develop/Smoking Reduction Coordinator, Speech Language Pathologist, Audiologist (vacant) & our Administrative Secretaries.

The individuals on the Team bring with them a wealth of knowledge & years of experience. Although many have been employed within the region for years, it is the first time many of them have met. The first few meetings have offered the staff an opportunity to learn about each of the other programs & how they may benefit from the experiences of others across the region. The group has come up with many creative ideas about how to best provide services to the clients in this age group.

The services being offered by the Team include: speech therapy; educational sessions: family life, reproductive health, diabetes, smoking cessation, etc.; immunizations, child developmental screening tests, school health, mental health counseling and therapy, parenting, Baby First family follow up, communicable disease follow up etc.

In the future the Team hopes to further develop a regional plan that will better meet the needs of this group.

The many professionals working together as a Team will undoubtedly benefit the children as we strive to provide more comprehensive, accessible services.

Beverley Hill
Regional Care Advocate
Infant/Child Team

YOUTH / WOMEN’S HEALTH TEAM

The PHC Youth / Women's Health Team consists of a multi-disciplinary team of professional, including: Community Health Nurses, Public Health Nurses, Mental Health Clinicians, Regional community Health Developers, Community Dietitian, Community Health Workers, Midwifes (The Pas only), Mentorship (FAS) Coordinator and Mentors (The Pas only), a Computer Programmer/Graphics/ Admin Personnel and our Administrative Secretaries.

The PHC Women's Health Team have had initial planning meetings and are looking forward to the opportunity of providing a more comprehensive service to the Women of our region.

In the past we have provided a variety of women's health programs and services but they were somewhat fragmented and generally focused on women's reproductive health.

With the move to Primary Health Care, a more integrated and comprehensive approach will allow the NRHA to provide services that are gender based, best practices and plan for health issues that span a woman's life cycle.

The goals for our women's health program include:

To increase the knowledge, awareness and understanding of women's health needs within the NOR-MAN RHA service area.
To support the provision of effective services ( based on best practices) for women.
To promote women's health through preventative measures and the reduction of risk factors that have the most impact on the overall health of women.

Some of the services we offer include:

Screening - cervical ( PAP testing), mammography
Reproductive health
Counseling on health issues
Education sessions

Elly Spencer
Regional Care Advocate
Youth / Women's Team

MEN’S HEALTH TEAM

The Men's Team is excited to be part of the new Primary Health Care initiative. The Team will be responsible for delivering health and wellness care to men in our region between the ages of 18 and 65 years. We recognize of course, that some care to youth and older men will be best delivered in the context of our Team as well.

The Team includes Primary Health Care nurses, Community Health Resource Developers, Housing Resource Developer, Occupational Therapist, Psychologist (position currently vacant), Dietitians, Diabetes Education Resource coordinator and Community Mental Health clinicians.

The Team has particular expertise in the areas of chronic care management, sexually transmitted illness, co-occurring substance abuse disorders and mental health problems and heart health.

We have been meeting regularly since August 2004, to get to know each other and share knowledge and skills and to transition from our current to our new settings.

We have begun to discuss our philosophy of care and our goals for health promotion and illness prevention. We have not yet completed our initial tasks but we are more than up to the challenge.

In our discussions you will frequently hear words like caring, support, advocacy and innovation. This terminology best represents who we are. Try us, you'll like us!

Tanis Campbell
Regional Care Advocate

Men's Team

SENIOR’S HEALTH TEAM

The Primary Health Care Seniors Team has had many planning sessions. The Seniors Team is a very large team and is divided into two Teams, North & South Teams.

The North end of the Region encompasses Flin Flon, Cranberry Portage, Sherridon and Snow Lake. The South end of the Region encompasses The Pas, Wanless, Clearwater Lake, Cormorant, Moose Lake, Easterville and Grand Rapids.

The Teams consist of a multi- disciplinary Team of professionals and para-professionals; RN's, LPN's, Case Co-Ordinators, Resource Co-Ordinators, Mental Health Clinicians, Regional Palliative Care Co-Ordinator, Community Health Developer, Diabetes Resource Educator, Mental Health Proctors, Home Care Attendants, Home Support Workers, Regional Stores Clerk, Administration and Payroll personnel. In total approximately 135 members!

Some of the services we offer in the Region under the new C.A.R.E.S. (Comprehensive Assessment Referral Entry System) are:

Elder Abuse Resource Guide
Council on Ageing
Age & Opportunity
Walking Buddies
Service to Seniors
Home IV Program
Block Care/Block Care Congregate Meal Program
24-hour Care
Adult Day Program
Self/Family Managed Care
Movement that Matters (Exercise Program)
Respite Care (Relieve stress on family or primary care providers)
Personal Care Home Placement Palliative Care
Supplies and equipment
Family Relief, Respite Care (Home or PCH)
Mental Health

We see the demand for these types of services increasing as our aged population grows in number and persons wanting to live in their homes for as long as feasibly possible.

As we work together in partnership we build a stronger, healthier population for both young and old alike.

Bonnie Sendecki
Regional Care Advocate
Senior's Team

For more information on our Primary Health Care, please contact:

Pat Bilquist

Executive Director of Community & Long Term Care Services

84 Church Street

Flin Flon, Manitoba, R8A 1L8

Telephone: (204) 687-1306

Fax: (204) 687-6405

Email: pbilquist@normanrha.mb.ca