Health team at Northern College in Timmins announce modernization plan

The East End Family Health Team has been operating at the Northern College campus for 17 years. (Lydia Chubak/CTV News)

Timmins -

Northern College officials announced Friday afternoon it's "embarking on a plan to modernize the East End Family Health Team."

The health team is located at the Timmins campus and has been operating there for 17 years.

A news release said the organization is undergoing a "review of services to provide increased access of care for existing and new patients and better align with Ministry of Health mandates."

The college said it will also be seeing public feedback to "identify gaps in care" and "areas requiring improvement." And it's also seeking "to double its patient load by engaging in additional staff."

CTV News has learned that some patients are worried about recent personnel departures.

“We’ve noticed over the past while there’s been quite a number of changes happening," said Daryl Firlotte, a patient of the East End Family Health Team.

"The front-end staff have all been changed, the pharmacist has left, the dietitian has left, the health care worker is leaving and Dr. Houston is leaving. What are we going to do as a family? I’m a diabetic."

Northern College has told CTV News it has yet to secure a physician to replace Dr. David Houston, but said it has interest from several people.

This is a developing story.