Latest Updates from the Scarborough Ontario Health Team
Scarborough Ontario Health Team Community Quarterly Newsletter
Tables of Contents:
Messages:
Message from the SOHT Director
Introducing #ScarboroughStrong: Community Voices in Profile
Updates from SOHT Committees/ Working Group:
In-person Client and Family Advisory Committee Meeting
Scarborough's Integrated Diabetes Pathway
Communication Committee Updates
Health Alerts and Focus:
Reminder: Measles Recommendations Ahead of Travel
Scarborough Community Engagement Opportunities:
Call for Expression of Interest- Seniors Care network is seeking a Seniors Advocate/ Public Member from Scarborough to join their board!
Toronto Public Health FREE Breastfeeding Clinic
Stories of Hope:
The Five-Year Evolution of Hong Fook Mental Health Association's Recovery College
Transforming care together: SHN engages community during Sickle Cell Disease Town Hall
A new era of learning at SHN- Major transformation of our spaces are coming!
Royally exception professional: SHN recipients of King Charles III Coronation Medal.
A bright, modern, space: Patients share their experiences with SHN's new Northpine DI Department
Messages:
1.Message from the SOHT Director:
As Spring blooms across Scarborough, I am reminded of the vibrant diversity that makes our community so special. May offers a chance to celebrate the cultures, the stories, and strengths that shape our shared future.
Within Scarborough Ontario Health Team, we are continuing to build on this strength. Work is underway on refreshing our Strategic Plan (Our Strategy - Scarborough Ontario Health Team) and we are thankful to all of you who contributed to the community survey. We are also engaging voices from across the community to guide our work ahead, e.g., Surge Prevention Planning where we are inviting community leaders to join in a critical discussion about ways to support people from falling ill to flu like viruses.
Other avenues of engagement are identified in this newsletter. For example, in addition to sharing highlights from work that will be of interest to you, we are inviting you to join in the storytelling too. Please see “Introducing #ScarboroughStrong: Community Voices in Profile”.
Your input matters in what we do, and we look forward to hearing from you. Together with all Scarborough Ontario Health Team partners (Our Partners - Scarborough Ontario Health Team), we are building a stronger and more inclusive health and community care system for Scarborough – one step at a time.
I thank you for your engagement and wishing you a healthy, safe, and joyful May!
Warmly,
Surkhab Peerzada,
Director of Scarborough Ontario Health Team
2.Introducing #ScarboroughStrong: Community Voices in Profile
Beginning with our next edition, August 16th, 2025 and issue #5, for SOHT’s community newsletter, we want to feature the voices of Scarborough’s wonderfully diverse and vibrant community and the experiences you have with the health and community care system! We want to feature your stories of hope that can inspire others to seek care and learn from your experience in navigating the health and community care system. We will work with you and support you as needed and feature your words in upcoming publications.
Your story can be about anything that helps capture the strength, vibrancy, and community-oriented nature reality of Scarborough and the many people who care to make it a positive place to live, work, and play. The story can be about receiving help just when you needed it from our health and community care providers to your experience volunteering, to your experience with community-building efforts that is helping us keep #ScarboroughStrong.
We believe in the power of stories, and we know that each one of you has something valuable to offer. Together, we are #ScarboroughStrong!
If you're interested or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Sharunya Pushpaharan, SOHT Coordinator, spushpaharan@shn.ca. We look forward to hearing from you!
Updates from SOHT Committees/ Working Group
1.In-person Client and Family Advisory Committee Meeting
On May 13th, 2025, the Client and Family Advisory Council (CFAC) members gathered in person for a mix and mingle. It was a wonderful chance to reconnect, share insights, and discuss ways to strengthen the voices of our community.
As we continue to grow, the CFAC committee is actively recruiting new members—especially from Scarborough—to help shape the future of health services. If you're interested in using your experiences to make a difference, we want your voice on our team.
Join us in ensuring that every perspective is heard and valued. To express your interest or learn more email ScarboroughOHT@shn.ca.
2.Scarborough's Integrated Diabetes Pathway
On March 13th, 2025, the Scarborough Ontario Health Team (SOHT), with support from the Diabetes Working Group, hosted a special session to imagine the future of diabetes care in Scarborough. Local healthcare providers, community organizations, and other key partners came together to discuss what an integrated pathway for diabetes care could look like in the area.
During the session, participants shared ideas and insights on creating a collaborative care model that will better serve people living with diabetes in Scarborough. The focus was on identifying key principles of care and actionable steps to improve services, ensuring that people with diabetes receive the best possible support in our community.
The next steps involve putting together a report that will guide the development of a detailed workplan, helping to bring the vision of integrated diabetes care to life. This is an exciting move towards a more connected and efficient healthcare system that will benefit everyone in Scarborough. Let’s keep #ScarboroughStrong!
3. Communication Committee Update
At the Scarborough Ontario Health Team, we’re always striving to improve and better serve our community. We’d love to hear what you think about our newsletter! Your feedback helps us understand what matters most to you and ensures we provide content that’s relevant and helpful.
What do you enjoy reading? What topics would you like to see more of?
Please take a moment to share your thoughts with us at ScarboroughOHT@shn.ca—your input is invaluable!
Health Alerts and Focus:
1. Reminder: Measles Recommendations Ahead of Travel
Measles continues to circulate globally, with an outbreak in Southwestern Ontario and over 80 cases reported in Ontario last year, including 10 in Toronto. Most cases are travel-related, so it’s crucial to vaccinate patients before travel. TPH recommends ensuring patients are up-to-date on their MMR vaccines, particularly infants (6 months and older) and preschoolers, before traveling. For travelers, infants can receive an early dose at 6-11 months, while preschoolers can receive the second dose before their 4th birthday. If a patient exhibits symptoms like fever, cough, conjunctivitis, and a rash, and has recently traveled or is unvaccinated, test for measles. Isolate suspected cases and ensure healthcare providers wear fit-tested N95 respirators when caring for these patients. Report all suspected or confirmed cases to TPH immediately.
For more information please refer to: Information for Healthcare Providers
Scarborough Community Engagement Opportunities
1.Call for Expression of Interest- Seniors Care Network is seeking a Seniors Advocate/ Public Member from Scarborough to join their board!
2. Toronto Public Health FREE Breastfeeding Clinic:
Open to all prenatal and breastfeeding families
Location: Ancestral Hands Midwives 1371 Neilson Road, Suite #208
Availability: Monday and Friday
By appointment Only
To book an appointment:
Phone number: 416-338-7600
For more information: toronto.ca/BreastFeeding
Stories of Hope
1.The Give-Year Evolution of Hong Fook Mental Health Association's Recovery College
Since 2019, Hong Fook’s Recovery College has evolved from a "self-help" model to a learning and strength-based recovery approach, deeply rooted in co-production and adult learning principles. This shift fosters a collaborative environment where peers are empowered to take control of their recovery journeys, actively participating in service delivery and decision-making. By working alongside staff as co-producers and co-facilitators, peers have transitioned from being passive recipients of services to becoming empowered service providers, integral to the programs they help shape.
Through the fidelity review by Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences (Ontario Shores) with the collaboration of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) National, Hong Fook’s culturally competent Recovery College has been recognized as the first of its kind in Canada to adapt the innovative Recovery College model in a culturally appropriate, language-specific way.
Our college has now grown to include over 730 peers from Scarborough and other neighborhoods across the City. Our peers have achieved significant improvements on the dimension of mental health and well beings, loneliness and self-esteem across the past five years, which reflect the model's impact and reach.
2.Transforming care together: SHN engages community during sickle Cell Disease Town Hall:
In February, Scarborough Health Network (SHN) hosted its second Sickle Cell Disease Town Hall at Centenary Hospital. The event, aimed at improving care for individuals living with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), gathered patients, families, healthcare professionals, and community leaders to collaborate and continue to co-design SCD care in Scarborough.
The focus of the town hall was to address the needs of adult patients and pediatric patients transitioning to adult care, an essential step in ensuring seamless, patient-centered services. SHN also shared the actions taken and new initiatives implemented based on community feedback from the first SCD Town Hall in November 2023.
3.A new era of learning at SHN- Major transformation of our spaces are coming!
As part of SHN’s expansion of education through its partnership with the University of Toronto on the Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health (SAMIH), the organization will be welcoming a growing number of learners for clinical training, beginning with an increase in medical students during the 2025–26 academic year. For the first time, core medical learners will rotate through every clinical department at SHN’s hospitals.
To prepare the facilities, significant changes are being made to spaces across the organization, and SHN is excited to share these developments.
4.Royally exceptional professional: SHN recipients of King Charles III Coronation Medal
There were three SHN recipients of the prestigious King Charles III Coronation Medal: Dr. Mayoorendra Ravichandiran, Deputy Chief of Emergency Medicine; Ms. Dotty Nicholas, a celebrated retired pediatric nurse; and Austine Gacqui, a Registered Nurse in Nephrology.
The King Charles III Coronation Medal is a national honor recognizing individuals who have made significant contributions to their communities and to the country.
5.A bright, modern space: Patients share their experience with SHN's new Northpine DI Department
Patients are already starting to talk enthusiastically about the new Northpine Diagnostic Imaging Department at SHN’s General Hospital, which opened in February as one of the most advanced, modern imaging facilities in the GTA. The 36,000-square-foot space doubles the footprint of imaging services at General Hospital, and has been designed to provide an improved experience for patients like Gayathri and Edward—who shared about their recent CT scans.
