KCHC has officially opened its new Access+ Clinic at 797 Princess Street, marking an important step in expanding care for people without a family doctor or nurse practitioner.
Open Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, Access+ brings together several key services in one place, including KCHC’s Well Baby Care Clinic, Newcomer Bridging Clinic, and Sexual Health Services (including STI quick tests). The clinic also offers prenatal and preventive care, including cancer screenings, for people who do not currently have a primary care provider.
The need for these services continues to grow. In 2025 alone, KCHC’s Well Baby Clinic cared for 202 unattached infants between the ages of 0 and 18 months, while more than 260 unattached pregnant clients accessed prenatal care. Of those expecting parents, 11 per cent required medical interpretation during their appointments, highlighting the importance of culturally and linguistically accessible care.
“If there’s one thing I want people to know about Access+, it’s that this clinic was built with the sole purpose of removing barriers and ensuring that no one is left behind in their journey to receive timely, compassionate care,” says the Clinic’s Manager Sienna Thomas. “Access+ is more than a clinic. It is a continuation of KCHC’s values, providing services that are accessible and available to those who need them most.”
Ontario is undergoing a transformation of its primary care system to improve access for millions of residents, including more than 30,000 people in Frontenac, Lennox and Addington who are still waiting for attachment. The FLA OHT has made progress with several new health homes, but some populations like newcomers, refugees and families with young children, continue to face added barriers. Cuts to local sexual health clinic hours have also created another area of need, which Access+ is helping to meet.
“Access+ reflects KCHC’s commitment to equitable, connected, and accessible care,” says Meghan O’Leary, KCHC’s Director of Clinical Services. “It’s a place where people will be able to access our various population-health services and preventive care in a timely way, meeting their immediate needs, while we continue to support their transition to on-going primary care.”
Another important element to Access+ is its ability to provide primary care in more than 20 languages through its use of onsite medical interpretation. This ensures that clients can communicate confidently about their health in the language of their choosing. This is particularly helpful for people who are new to Canada, who are unsure of how Ontario’s healthcare system works and who may have had limited access to medical attention in the past.
“Newcomers and refugees often arrive with complex health needs, and not all primary care providers are familiar with this population’s experiences,” explains Ed Cho, Nurse Practitioner at Access+. “The Bridging Clinic gives us the time to stabilize medical concerns, complete screenings, and help patients learn to navigate the system, so that when they move on to a permanent provider, the transition is smoother and safer.”