It is with great excitement and anticipation that the Listowel Memorial Hospital, the Listowel Memorial Hospital Foundation, the Listowel Medical Centre, John Wilkinson, MPP for Perth-Wellington and the North Perth Family Health Team announce the beginning of construction of the Fisher Family Primary Care Centre. The new centre is being named in honor of the Fisher family and their generous contribution toward the capital construction. Building on a tradition of collaboration and integration, the Listowel Memorial Hospital, Listowel Medical Clinic and the North Perth Family Health Team have worked hard with the Ministry of Health to realize their shared vision of an integrated local health system designed around a one-campus model. The new Fisher Family Primary Care Centre will house all of the health professionals together in a modern facility. It will provide ease of access for all North Perth residents and enhance our ability to provide quality primary care services. We wish to acknowledge the Honorable Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, for the significant financial contribution by the government of Ontario. A special acknowledgement goes to John Wilkinson, MPP, Perth-Wellington who has worked tirelessly to support the vision of a family health centre as part of an integrated and local system of rural health services. The Fisher Family Primary Care Centre represents a strong community partnership. “The Fisher Family Primary Care Centre is a tribute to the many strong local partnerships among our Hospital, Municipality, local physicians, the health care team, the Province and of course, the community of North Perth. We sincerely thank the numerous hard working individuals who have made this possible, and look forward to continuing to provide world class rural primary health care in a new state of the art facility,” said Dr. Rob Annis, Chair, North Perth Family Health Team. “The Listowel Memorial Hospital is excited to see this project begin construction. This facility will further enhance the excellent working relationship between the Hospital, physicians and North Perth Family Health Team. Having the members of the community health care team in close proximity provides additional opportunities to strengthen relationships and share scarce health care resources. Working closely together will help us improve the handoffs between providers and further benefit our patients,” said Kris Dekker, Chair, Listowel Memorial Hospital. “North Perth will soon add the new Fisher Family Primary Care Centre to its impressive list of cutting edge rural health care services", said MPP John Wilkinson. "When you add in the recent state of the art redevelopment of Listowel Memorial Hospital and our highly successful North Perth Family Health Team you can see how these three investments by the government of Ontario are making North Perth an even better community to recruit and retain much needed health care professionals. On behalf of my constituents I want to publicly thank my Cabinet colleague, the Hon. Deb Matthews, Minister of Health & Long Term Care for personally believing in the dream of our rural community and committing just over $1 million to make it a reality." Ron Coghlin, Chair, Listowel Memorial Hospital Foundation goes on to state, “The Listowel Memorial Hospital Foundation is extremely grateful for the generous community support that has helped make this facility possible. This facility will be owned and operated by the Listowel Memorial Hospital. We hope that the community finds the new Fisher Family Primary Care Centre an asset that they can be proud of. As a Foundation, we are very pleased to see this project underway.” The Fisher Family Primary Health Care Centre will support the vision of being a leader in the provision of high quality primary health services to our local community. “Our commitment to care and to our community of North Perth has never been stronger,” quotes Mary Atkinson, Executive Director, North Perth Family Health Team. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Friday, January 7, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. at the new site on Inkerman Avenue (adjacent to Shopper’s Drug Mart). Following the groundbreaking ceremony, an open house reception for the family health team was held at the Out Patient building.
