Ministry of Health

Norfolk County is urging the Province to support rural health care by expanding physician recruitment efforts and continuing collaboration on public health modernization through the GEPH merger.

Physician recruitment

Where we're at

Across rural Ontario, we are experiencing an escalating crisis in access to primary care. In Norfolk County alone, thousands of residents are unattached to a family physician, crowding our aging emergency room and understaffed clinics, or forcing residents to leave town for care. 

Norfolk County has approved $250,000 for local physician recruitment efforts and, upon the recommendation of our local physician recruitment committee, approved an investment of $100,000 for Norfolk General Hospital to support their physician recruitment activities.  

Norfolk asks that the Province:

• Assists in drawing physicians to the area with incentives and support for Rural Clinical Education Hubs
• Invests in rural placements and mentorship programs for medical students in collaboration with colleges and universities.
• Expedites assessment and licensing pathways to enable qualified graduates to practice in underserved communities. 

GEPH Merger

Where we're at

We appreciate the Ministry’s continued support and the strong collaborative partnerships we’ve developed with Ministerial staff throughout this process. These relationships have been instrumental in guiding the transition and helping us align with provincial goals for a stronger, more effective public health system.

Our efforts have evolved beyond the initial corporate service integration at the GEPH level. We are now focused on programming harmonization and future state design, work that emphasizes improving service delivery, building internal capacity, and supporting our dedicated staff through meaningful and sustainable changes.

In tandem with these efforts, we are identifying efficiencies within the system that will allow us to reinvest strategically, strengthen our frontline response and enhance services where they are needed most.

We also recognize the financial pressures of the merger, including wage harmonization and other transitional costs. We remain hopeful that these realities will be reflected in future structural adjustments to our base budget, ensuring that municipal funders are not adversely impacted as we modernize and grow.

It’s important to highlight that the merger is only one aspect of our broader commitment to improving public health in Ontario. We look forward to the upcoming review of financial systems and the Ontario Public Health Standards as key components in this transformation—each playing a critical role in shaping a more resilient, responsive, and equitable public health system.

As we move forward, we remain committed to working closely with the Ministry and our partners to ensure that our enhancements translate into measurable improvements in health outcomes for all the communities we serve.