The local Ontario Health Team, in collaboration with the Dufferin Area Family Health Team, is connecting the Dufferin and Caledon community to primary care through an expansion of team-based care.
The Hills of Headwaters Collaborative Ontario Health Team (HOHC OHT), in collaboration with the Dufferin Area Family Health Team (DAFHT), is working to make it easier for people to get access to care closer to home across Dufferin and Caledon. Through a ‘hub-and-spoke’ model of care, DAFHT and HOHC OHT will work to turn on Care Clinics, where those looking to access care right away can be seen by a primary care team while they get attached to a local physician – with an aim to provide care as close to home as possible.
This plan was approved by Ontario Health’s Primary Care Expansion Team in April 2026 and includes the expansion and enhancement of DAFHT’s current interprofessional primary care team structure to increase primary care capacity. Through this plan, more than 6,500 people in Dufferin and Caledon will be connected to primary care by early 2027, with the rest of the unattached connected to primary care by 2029. To be matched with a primary care physician in Dufferin and/or Caledon, the community is encouraged to visit hillsofheadwaterscollaborative
“This implementation plan represents a collaboration between a number of HOHC OHT community partners committed to expanding primary care delivery in our community,” said Dave Pearson, Executive Director, HOHC OHT. “Through this ‘hub-and-spoke’ model of care, we aim to enhance our local health care system with multidisciplinary teams to deliver better care to more people across our vast geography,” added Pearson.
The expansion of team-based care in Dufferin and Caledon includes:
- Utilizing a team of health-care professionals to connect people who do not currently have a family doctor or primary care provider
- Helping physicians and nurse practitioners connect patients to specialized programs and providers
- Free up physician time to take on more patients
- Expanding access to programs, like diabetes and memory clinics, to the entire population
The Plan will be implemented in consultation with HOHC OHT’s Primary Care Network, led by Dr. Michael Gagnon and Dr. Sonya Caruso.
“The creation of new care service entry points in our community will provide consistent, convenient, and reliable care for every Dufferin and Caledon resident outside of regular weekday business hours, affording greater continuity of care and further reducing preventable Emergency Department presentations,” says Lianne Barbour, Executive Director, DAFHT. “We are proud of the quality of care we have been able to offer our existing patients and are thrilled with the opportunity to expand access to
primary care and DAFHT programs and services to the rest of the Dufferin and Caledon community,” added Barbour.
As part of the expansion of team-based care, DAFHT is looking to fill several unique job opportunities with applicants interested in joining an innovative and collaborative team that is transforming how care is delivered. Current job openings include:
- Primary Care Patient Attachment Nurse Coordinator
- Registered Practical Nurse – Integrated Care Pathways Coordinator
For more information on job opportunities related to DAFHT’s Primary Care Team Expansion Plan, visit hillsofheadwaterscollaborative
For more information on the work being done by HOHC OHT, visit hillsofheadwaterscollaborative
