I’m Kate Dewhirst.

My team and I work for
Family Health Teams
and primary care clinics.

Kate Dewhirst Health Law - bringing the law to life. Meet Kate (in 13 seconds)

Services for primary care

These are just a few of the areas where we assist Family Health Teams and other primary care organizations.
I'd love for us to help you with them too.

Privacy

Privacy matters absorb a lot of management time and generate worry.

I am well-known for my sound and helpful privacy advice and training to family health teams.

Patient Relations

Have you ever been faced with a client who yells at your team?

Wondering what to do with a patient complaint about sexual harassment or inappropriate care? We de-escalate these situations on a regular basis, so let me help you.

Risk and governance training for FHT Boards

A topic that every FHT Board needs to a discuss is risk and statutory compliance.

Sound BO-RING? It’s not. I promise. I will help your Board understand how to think and talk about risk and encourage a culture that supports quality and safety.

Policy Review

I write and update clinical or administrative policies for you.

We specialize in plain language policies that your team can actually understand and will be able to follow.

Court Preparation and Responding to a Summons to Witness

If you or a team member is served with a Summons to Witness or other court document, we will assist you.

We will discuss what documents can be shared with lawyers in advance and we will give your team everything they need to feel confident when appearing in court.

Police

Do you know what to do when police arrive and want to arrest a patient on your premises or get a copy of information about a patient?

We do. We will help you navigate these time sensitive and stressful situations.

What my Primary Care clients say:

Working with Kate is a real pleasure. She brings wisdom, deep insight and humour to legal and privacy issues in a way that has been so helpful to our team. Her work and training really does bring the law to life and helps us to understand what matters to us in a way that is accessible, meaningful and interesting.

Anna Gibson-Olajos

Executive Director, Powassan and area Family Health Team
Kate really understands primary care and the legal issues we face day in and day out. When I call Kate, I know I am going to get practical advice I can use right away.

Christopher Fisher

Excutive Director, Health Services, University of Ottawa
Kate is truly the "rock star" of privacy law.

Joanne Pearson

Executive Director, Burlington Family Health Team
We love Kate. She’s the absolute best! Her legal expertise has been an invaluable resource to our management team and allied health providers. She is professional, personable, genuine, and has diverse knowledge and experience with issues that impact FHTs. Her practical approach has given us the ability to manage an array of challenging situations with confidence and integrity.

Stephanie Dudgeon

Executive Director, Brockton and Area FHT
Kate Dewhirst has supported our Family Health Team over the past 4 years. We have sought her assistance for all things related to privacy and governance. Kate has the ability to speak to us in “non-legalese”, while incorporating humor into her education! No question is ever a stupid one, and I feel most comfortable reaching out to Kate when I am just not sure.

Lianne Davies

Executive Director, Dufferin Area FHT
Knowledgeable. Enthusiastic. Practical. She loves what she does and it shows.

Phyllis Betello

Group Health Centre

Contact us.

Every website needs a contact form - here’s mine. If you think you might need legal advice, or training, if you want to know more or if you’re just having a bad day and want to tell someone about it, please get in touch.

Kate Dewhirst Health Law

Bringing the law to life.

Mailing address:

P.O. Box 13024
RPO Bradford Centre
Bradford, ON, L3Z 2Y5

Email:

kate@katedewhirst.com

Telephone:

(416) 855 9557

Please do not send any urgent, sensitive or confidential information from this website. Contacting me, sending me an email or completing a request for me to contact you will not make me your lawyer. That's because there are rules I have to follow to determine whether I can advise you. There may be situations where I cannot act for you because of a conflict of interest or if I do not have the expertise you need. You are not a client unless and until I have agreed to act for you in which case I will write to you to explain how I work and my legal terms and conditions. By clicking “Send” you acknowledge that you have read and understood this disclaimer and that Kate Dewhirst is not yet retained to represent you.

Some of Kate’s recent and upcoming events

Free healthcare privacy webinar - ask me anything!
the first Wednesday of every month

Free webinars - advance registration needed

Whether you're an experienced privacy officer or new in the field, pick Kate’s brain for free for an hour, in this live webinar. No charge, but you’ll need to register in advance.

Primary care webinars: Employment Law Update & Legal Issues for EDs and Board members

Part of Kate’s monthly webinar series.

Our 2025 program is now live.
Full details of the 2025 webinar series and registration here.

Mental Health webinars: Legal issues for mental health and addictions agencies and teams
Annual membership 2025

For managers and other leaders from mental health and addictions agencies, hospitals, CMHAs, CHCs, school boards, FHTs and Indigenous health services

This is an annual membership program with monthly webinars.
Full details and registration here.

Health Privacy Officer Foundations training
starts Spring 2025

For Privacy Officers within healthcare organizations.

This course focuses on how to become a more confident privacy officer and gives you the tools to document your privacy program. Full details and registration here...

Join the Shush: a collective of health privacy officers
Annual membership 2025

For Privacy Officers within healthcare organizations

This is an annual membership program that takes theory into practice and tackles real life scenarios to build Privacy Officer skills.
Full details and registration here.

Team Privacy Training Events

For Primary Care clinics, Hospitals, Community Agencies, Mental Health Teams, Public Health Units, School Boards, Police departments

Scheduled to your team's needs for comprehensive or refresher training More details...

Free summary of all PHIPA IPC decisions

Want to read privacy breach stories to learn how to improve your work? We have summarized all the Information and Privacy Commissioner's health privacy decisions for you Download here...

Kate Dewhirst Health Law

Kate says:

My mission is bringing the law to life. I make legal theory understandable, accessible and fun! I’m available and love to work for all organizations in the healthcare sector across Ontario and beyond.

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    • contact details

    P.O. Box 13024, RPO Bradford Centre
    Bradford, ON, L3Z 2Y5

    (416) 855 9557

    info@katedewhirst.com
    www.katedewhirst.com