Empowering the Health And Wellbeing of the People in our Community
The Grand Bend Area Community Health Centre provides patient-centered primary care and promotes overall wellbeing through team-based healthcare services at our facilities in Grand Bend and Hensall.
A Connected Community
The GBACHC works in collaboration with Ontario Health West and agencies and services within Lambton and Huron counties.
Our Services Include…
- Primary Care
- Better Breathing Team
- Social Work
- Diabetes Program
- Community Health
- Physiotherapy
- Visiting Specialists
- Administrative Staff
Primary Care
- Physicians
- Physician Assistant and Nurse Practitioners
- Registered Practical Nurses
- Medical Office Assistants
- Phlebotomists
Better Breathing Team
- Registered Respiratory Therapist
- Occupational Therapist
- Kinesiologist
- Physiotherapist
- Social Worker
Diabetes Program
- Diabetes Nurse
- Certified Diabetes Educator
- Diabetes Dietitians
- Diabetes Administrative Assistant
Community Health
- Health Promoters
- Community Dietitians
Physiotherapy
- Physiotherapists
- Occupational Therapists
- Kinesiologist
- Medical Office Assistants
Visiting Specialists
- Chiropodist
- Endocrinologist
- Internist
Administrative Staff
- Chief Executive Officer
- Director Primary Care Support Services
- Manager of Primary Care and Chronic Disease
- Finance Coordinator
- Community Health Promotion & Facilities Coordinator
- Data & Information Technology Lead
- Executive Assistant
Our Story
In 1971, our first medical building was built in Grand Bend on Gill Road with only a small number of doctors, registered nurses and medical office assistants.
We adopted the Community Health Centre model in 1999 with the addition of a physiotherapist, health promoter, social worker, dietitian and a diabetes education program.
It was evident that we needed more space, so our Centre moved to its current home at 69 Main Street East in 2004.
The newly renovated space in Hensall was opened in 2010 to incorporate teaching into primary care activities.
Areas We Serve
Offices located in Grand Bend and Hensall.
Primary health care services are available to accepted individuals residing or doing business in Grand Bend, Hensall, Crediton, Zurich, Dashwood, Kippen and Port Franks.
Walk-in services is available to area residents and seasonal guests on a first-come-first serve-basis only on Saturdays 9:00 am to 11:30 am.
Anyone can access the GBACHC’s Programs and Services offered at both sites, a variety of outreach community spaces and through home visits in Grand Bend, Hensall, Port Franks, Crediton, Dashwood, Kippen, Thedford, Petrolia, Exeter, Zurich, Huron Park, Parkhill and Bayfield.
Mission, Vision & Values
Health and Wellbeing for All
By building connections with individuals, families and communities, the Grand Bend Area Community Health Centre (GBACHC) works to provide comprehensive care and support for people to achieve their optimal health. With a strong focus on population-based planning and community development, we strive to connect people and communities with the services they need and empower the health and well-being of the people in our communities.
Core Values
People-Centred
We believe that support is individually defined. We work with each person to determine their needs and provide customized treatment and support to help them achieve optimal health and well-being.
Compassionate Care
Health care at our Centre reaches far beyond physical well-being. Compassionate care means ensuring mental and social well-being are also prioritized. We connect people with services and support to create a healthier public.
Interconnectedness
GBACHC is a community connector. We work with our partners to provide seamless health and well-being services and strive to ensure that people in our community know where to go for the care they need.
Integrity & Responsibility
We are accountable for what we say and do. Measured by the satisfaction of those we serve, programs and services at GBACHC are continually evaluated to ensure they are meeting the highest quality of standards.
Respect & Inclusion
We offer programs and services that respond to the specific needs of each person in a safe, supportive and considerate environment.
From the Chief Executive Officer
Our vision “Health and Wellbeing For All” means we put people, families, and communities first.
We provide access to the care that you need.
Grand Bend Area Community Health Centre is a comprehensive health care home for over 6,400 patients from the West Coast Shores area. West Coast Shores includes part of Lambton Shores, Bluewater, and South Huron municipalities.
Our patients’ health and well-being goals inspire us. We work with individual patients to create a health and well-being plan. The people who are patients of the Health Centre access primary health care assessment and treatment, physical therapy, mental health, nutritional, and chronic disease programs. Our Health Centre offers walk-in support each Saturday morning from 9-11:30 a.m. so that patients and visitors to the area can get the short-term health services they need.
An additional 2,000 community residents access our Health Centre’s Allied Health programs and services including mental health or nutritional counselling, physical therapy services, diabetes, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease education and self-management support, and health promotion programs such as Functional Fitness exercise program.
We provide education and information that you need to make the right decision about your health and well-being.
GBACHC ensures that people get the information about area programs and services as well as the education they need to support their goals. Health promoters and care coordinators are available to provide information.
We connect you to the services you need. We provide coordinated and integrated care in the community, close to home.
We work closely with health care partners such as the Alzheimer’s Society, One Care, Lambton Elderly Outreach, CNIB, Home and Community Care, South Huron Hospital, Choices for Change, and many others to ensure area residents and patients have the right information and service to achieve their goals.
We work with communities and partners to build capacity for health and wellbeing.
We focus on population and determinants of health needs and work with communities and partners to develop community programs to meet these needs. “Connected Rural Communities” is a community initiative together to increase space for and access to primary health care and community programming, to promote social inclusion and belonging as well as to strengthen transportation and trails with community groups.
Our mission is to “Empower the health and well-being of the people in our communities -together”. We believe that by working together – we can make it happen!
Chris Harris
Chief Executive Officer
Grand Bend Area Community Health Centre
Email: charris@gbchc.com
Phone: 519-238-2362 ext. 283
Model Of Health And Wellbeing
The model that guides our approach to comprehensive primary health care.
Grand Bend Area Community Health Centre is one of 83 Community Health Centres (CHCs) in Ontario. The Model of Health and Wellbeing unites all CHC’s with three principles and eight attributes which guide the delivery of comprehensive primary health care.
Like the World Health Organization, our goal is to achieve better health for all. To reach this goal, our model champions transformative change for people and communities facing barriers to health.
Guiding Principles
The Highest Quality, People- and Community-Centred Primary Health Care
We commit to continuous improvement in the quality of services and programs with all efforts oriented to meet the specific needs of the people and communities being served.
Health Equity and Social Justice
We design services and programs to reduce health disparities and inequities. We also advocate for healthier public policy and against unfair practices and prejudices that harm people’s health.
Community Vitality and Belonging
We partner with community members to build safe and caring communities where everyone is valued and feels like they belong.
Attributes
Population Needs-Based Planning
We strive to improve the health and wellbeing of the entire population in our catchment area. We assess the needs of different demographic groups and develop action plans to address them.
A Community Development Approach
We work with community members to develop solutions that support healthy living.
A Strong Focus on the Determinants of Health
We mitigate the impact of the many non-medical determinants of health. We also advocate for healthier public policies that enable people to access a healthy environment and afford other basic necessities of life.
Interprofessional, Integrated and Coordinated
Membership in interprofessional teams extends well beyond clinical providers to include health promoters, social workers, outreach and community development workers. Teams collaborate with a wide range of primary care providers, as well as other parts of the health and social service system.
Anti-oppression and Culturally Safe Practices
We recognize many populations face discrimination that harms their health and wellbeing. We ensure our staff receive ongoing training in anti-oppression and culturally-safe practices.
Accessibility
The priority is providing appropriate access to everyone, no matter who they are or where they live. Accessibility requires breaking down all racial, cultural, linguistic, physical, social, economic, legal and geographic barriers that prevent people from accessing health services.
Community Centredness and Governance
Based on what we learn through a wide range of engagement processes, we constantly reorient our services to meet the community’s changing needs. Community-centredness is strengthened by another defining feature of the model: community governance. It’s community members who set the strategic direction of the centre.
Accountability and Efficiency
Community governance also ensures we are accountable to our community and funders. In addition, we develop and apply reporting indicators so funders can track our performance with respect to effectiveness and efficiency.
Health Equity
Committed to recognizing and confronting barriers to equitable health.
As outlined in the Health Equity Charter by the Alliance for Healthier Communities, we will identify, name and confront inequity by:
- Assigning priority to population groups who have the greatest health needs and least access to services
- Involving the communities we serve in the design and delivery of our programs
- Developing anti-racism/anti-oppression strategies to identify, name and confront practices that reproduce oppression within our organizations
- Developing human resource policies and practices designed to ensure that the diversity of the communities we serve is reflected at all levels – volunteer, staff, management and board – in our organizations
- Ensuring our policies, procedures and staff training meet the linguistic, cultural and other needs of the diverse communities we serve
- Developing evaluation strategies that measure health equity efforts and health equity results, and using the evaluation data to continually improve health equity practices
- Using equity as a measure of quality in delivering people-centred care
- Sharing best practices and lessons learned in achieving health equity results
In our work within the broader community, we will identify, name and confront inequity by:
- Collaborating with health partners and the broader community to ensure equity as an underlying goal of the health system
- Supporting and collaborating with community groups who are challenging the social conditions that cause health inequities
- Documenting the causes of, impacts of and potential solutions to health inequities
- Advocating for public policy responses proposed by communities to reduce health inequities
- Contributing to building an integrated, high-performing health system with health equity as one of its underlying principles
- Aligning with the Huron Perth and Area Ontario Health Team (HPA-OHT) Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
