{"id":29633,"date":"2024-06-03T12:20:55","date_gmt":"2024-06-03T16:20:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca\/?p=29633"},"modified":"2024-06-14T11:58:51","modified_gmt":"2024-06-14T15:58:51","slug":"event-release-public-hearings-on-protecting-and-improving-local-hospitals-community-members-invited-to-give-input","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca\/index.php\/event-release-public-hearings-on-protecting-and-improving-local-hospitals-community-members-invited-to-give-input\/","title":{"rendered":"<FONT COLOR=\"#E00000\">EVENT &#038; RELEASE: <\/FONT> Public Hearings on Protecting &#038; Improving Local Hospitals: Community members invited to give input"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>(June 3, 2024)<\/p>\n<p>TORONTO \u2014 In response to more than 1,200 closures of emergency departments and other local hospital services over the last year, the Ontario Health Coalition (OHC) is holding public hearings across Ontario to develop recommendations for the future of our local hospitals, including small, rural and northern community hospitals. Mid size or larger local hospitals will be included where they are at risk of closure.<\/p>\n<p>The hearings are an opportunity for patients and community residents, service agencies, patient advocacy groups, concerned citizens, municipal leaders, health care professionals and others to provide their thoughts.<\/p>\n<p>The results of the hearings will be collected in a report with recommendations on how to protect and improve, especially small and rural, local hospitals.<\/p>\n<p>Hearings will be open to all Ontario residents. They will be held with both online (Zoom) and in-person options so everyone can attend and participate. People may submit written or spoken statements on their experiences and concerns to an expert, non-partisan panel.<\/p>\n<p>Presenters making verbal submissions will be able to speak for a maximum of seven minutes. The deadline for written submissions is Thursday, June 20 at 5 p.m.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese hearings are a chance for people in rural and northern Ontario to share their experiences and to safeguard and improve our local hospitals, especially those at risk of closures,\u201d said Brenda Scott, chair of the Coalition&#8217;s small, rural and local hospital committee. \u201cWe want to hear what has been cut, what if anything has improved, and what is needed to improve equity, save our hospitals and improve health care for rural Ontario.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDecisions about our local hospitals have been removed from the local communities that have funded and relied upon them for generations,\u201d added Natalie Mehra, executive director of the OHC. \u201cResidents in these areas deserve the opportunity to share their concerns and influence decisions that will impact them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The expert panel includes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Natalie Mehra, executive director of the Ontario Health Coalition<\/li>\n<li>Brenda Scott, Chair of Small and Rural Hospital Committee with Ontario Health Coalition and Co-chair of Grey Bruce Health Coalition<\/li>\n<li>France G\u00e9linas, NDP Health Critic and MPP for Nickel Belt (Ontario New Democratic Party)<\/li>\n<li>Adil Shamji, Liberal Health Critic and MPP for Don Valley East (Ontario Liberal Party)<\/li>\n<li>Mike Schreiner, Leader of the Green Party of Ontario and MPP for Guelph (Green Party of Ontario)<\/li>\n<li>Graham Webb, Lawyer and Executive Director of the Advocacy Centre for the Elderly<\/li>\n<li>Additional doctors, nurses, health care worker leaders, and health professionals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Here is the list of hearings. Everyone is welcome to attend. To make a verbal presentation and give your input at the hearings, you must register here: <span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/ohc-june2024\">https:\/\/bit.ly\/ohc-june2024<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<table style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"200\"><strong>Saturday, June 8<\/strong><br \/>\n9:30-11:30 a.m.<\/td>\n<td width=\"200\">Welland &amp; Niagara<\/td>\n<td width=\"200\">Welland Civic Square, Community Room, 60 East Main Street, Welland<\/p>\n<p>Or join by Zoom at <span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/us06web.zoom.us\/j\/81560972577\">https:\/\/us06web.zoom.us\/j\/81560972577<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"200\"><strong>Saturday, June 8<\/strong><br \/>\n3-4:30 p.m.<\/td>\n<td width=\"200\">St. Marys, Clinton, Seaforth, Stratford &amp; Region<\/td>\n<td width=\"200\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Royal Canadian Legion Branch 236,<br \/>\n66 Church St N, St. Marys<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;\">Or join by Zoom at <\/span><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/us06web.zoom.us\/j\/87422681443\">https:\/\/us06web.zoom.us\/j\/87422681443<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"200\"><strong>Tuesday, June 11<\/strong><br \/>\n9-11 a.m.<\/td>\n<td width=\"200\">Bracebridge &amp; Muskokas<\/td>\n<td width=\"200\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Royal Canadian Legion Branch 161,<br \/>\n168 Muskoka Rd. Bracebridge<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;\">Or join by Zoom at <\/span><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/us06web.zoom.us\/j\/81174304511\">https:\/\/us06web.zoom.us\/j\/81174304511<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"200\"><strong>Tuesday, June 11<\/strong><br \/>\n1:30-3:30 p.m.<\/td>\n<td width=\"200\">Barrie &amp; Simcoe County<\/td>\n<td width=\"200\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Barrie Public Library, Angus Ross Room, 60 Worsley St. Barrie<\/p>\n<p>Or join by Zoom at <span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/us06web.zoom.us\/j\/82235156274\">https:\/\/us06web.zoom.us\/j\/82235156274<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"200\"><strong>Thursday June 13<\/strong><br \/>\n12-2 p.m.<\/td>\n<td width=\"200\">Almonte, Arnprior, Mississippi Mills, Renfrew County &amp; Region<\/td>\n<td width=\"200\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Almonte Civitan Club, 500 Almonte St. Almonte<\/p>\n<p>Or join by Zoom at <span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/us06web.zoom.us\/j\/84185435564\">https:\/\/us06web.zoom.us\/j\/84185435564<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"200\"><strong>Friday, June 14<\/strong><br \/>\n4-6 p.m.<\/td>\n<td width=\"200\">Haliburton, Minden &amp; Region<\/td>\n<td width=\"200\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Royal Canadian Legion Branch 129,<br \/>\n719 Mountain St. Haliburton<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;\">Or join by Zoom at <\/span><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/us06web.zoom.us\/j\/82620928242\">https:\/\/us06web.zoom.us\/j\/82620928242<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"200\"><strong>Monday, June 17<\/strong><br \/>\n12:30-2 p.m.<\/td>\n<td width=\"200\">Thunder Bay &amp; the Northwest<\/td>\n<td width=\"200\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Thunder Bay Public Library: Mary J.L. Black Branch Community Program Room, 901 Edward St S. Thunder Bay<\/p>\n<p>Or join by Zoom at <span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/us06web.zoom.us\/j\/83145033983\">https:\/\/us06web.zoom.us\/j\/83145033983<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"200\"><strong>Tuesday, June 18<\/strong><br \/>\n10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.<\/td>\n<td width=\"200\">Chesley, Walkerton, Hanover, Durham &amp; Region<\/td>\n<td width=\"200\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Chesley Community Centre Community Hall, 129 4th Ave SE. Chesley<\/p>\n<p>Or join by Zoom at <span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/us06web.zoom.us\/j\/84939615045\">https:\/\/us06web.zoom.us\/j\/84939615045<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"200\"><strong>Tuesday, June 18<\/strong><br \/>\n4:30-5:30 p.m.<\/td>\n<td width=\"200\">Mount Forest, Palmerston, Listowel, Durham &amp; Regio<\/td>\n<td width=\"200\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Royal Canadian Legion Branch 134,<br \/>\n140 King St W. Mount Forest<\/p>\n<p>Or join by Zoom at <a href=\"https:\/\/us06web.zoom.us\/j\/82526483075\">h<span style=\"color: #3366ff;\">ttps:\/\/us06web.zoom.us\/j\/82526483075<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"200\"><\/td>\n<td width=\"200\"><\/td>\n<td width=\"200\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>About the Ontario Health Coalition<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Ontario Health Coalition (OHC) is a non-profit, non-partisan public interest activist coalition and network. OHC works to protect and improve our public health care system by honouring and strengthening the principles of the Canada Health Act. OHC represents more than 500 member organizations and a network of Local Health Coalitions and individual members including: seniors\u2019 groups; patients\u2019 organizations; unions; nurses and health professionals\u2019 organizations; physicians and physician organizations that support the public health system; non-profit community agencies; student groups; ethnic and cultural organizations; residents\u2019 and family councils; retirees; poverty and equality-seeking groups, and women\u2019s organizations. For more information, visit <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\">www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/JUN_7_2024_OHC_public_hearings-web-vrsn.pdf\">Click here for printable version of release<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">Ontario Health Coalition<br \/>\nPublic Consultation<br \/>\non Protecting &amp; Improving\u00a0Local Hospitals<\/h4>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">May 14, 2024<\/h4>\n<p><strong>In response to unprecedented closures of emergency departments and other local hospital services, the Ontario Health Coalition is holding public hearings across Ontario to develop recommendations for the future of our local hospitals, including a focus on small and rural hospitals. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Most communities have not had any real say in what is happening to our local public hospitals, though we fund, volunteer, support and need them. These public hearings will be just like government public hearings, inviting everyone who is interested to bring a submission, written or verbal, and give their ideas and input. They will be on the record \u2013 video and written notes \u2013 and will result in a report and recommendations to protect and improve our local hospitals.<\/p>\n<p>The hearings will be an opportunity for municipal leaders, community service agencies, patient advocacy groups, concerned citizens, health care professionals and workers, clinicians and others to give your input.<\/p>\n<p>The hearings are open to all Ontario residents. They will be held in person and there will also be a \u201cvirtual\u201d (online) option by Zoom for people to participate.<\/p>\n<p><strong>List of Hearings<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You can attend any one you like. You will see some areas overlap and you may want to attend more than one. You do not need to be from that community to attend a hearing there.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Saturday June 8<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Welland &amp; Niagara:\u00a0<\/strong><br \/>\n9:30 am \u2013 11:30 am, Welland Civic Square Community Room, 60 East Main Street, Welland.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Tuesday June 11<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Bracebridge &amp; South Muskoka:<\/strong><br \/>\n9 am \u2013 11 am, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 161, 168 Muskoka Rd. Bracebridge.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Barrie &amp; Simcoe County:<br \/>\n<\/strong>1:30 pm \u2013 3:30 pm, Barrie Public Library, Angus Ross Room, 60 Worsley St. Barrie.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Thursday June 13<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Almonte, Arnprior, Mississippi Mills, Renfrew County &amp; region:\u00a0<\/strong><br \/>\n12 pm \u2013 2 pm, Almonte Civitan Club, 500 Almonte St. Almonte.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Friday June 14<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Haliburton, Minden &amp; region:<br \/>\n<\/strong>4 pm \u2013 6 pm, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 129, 719 Mountain St. Haliburton.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Monday June 17<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Thunder Bay &amp; the Northwest:<\/strong><br \/>\n12:30 pm \u2013 2 pm, Mary J L Black Library, Community Program Room, 901 Edward St S. Thunder Bay.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Tuesday June 18<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Chesley, Walkerton, Hanover, Durham &amp; region:<br \/>\n<\/strong>10:30 am \u2013 12:30 pm, Chesley Community Centre Community Hall, 129 4th Ave SE. Chesley.<\/p>\n<p><strong>M<\/strong><strong>ount Forest, Palmerston, Listowel, Durham &amp; region:<br \/>\n<\/strong>4:30 pm \u2013 5:30 pm, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 134, 140 King St W. Mount Forest.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Deadlines &amp; How to Make a Submission to the Expert Panel<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You can make a <u>written submission<\/u> or you can give a <u>verbal presentation<\/u> to the expert panel that will attend each hearing. All submissions can be as formal or informal as you would like. We have prepared the following guide with questions to help you. You do not need to answer all questions. We will accept letters, or short statements, as well as longer, more formal submissions. What is important is that people have their chance to give meaningful input into the future of our communities\u2019 local public hospitals.<\/p>\n<p>The expert panel that will receive all written and verbal submissions is non-partisan and will include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Natalie Mehra, executive director of the Ontario Health Coalition<\/li>\n<li>Brenda Scott, Chair of the OHC\u2019s Save Our Hospitals Committee and the Chesley Hospital Community Support<\/li>\n<li>France Gelinas, NDP Health Critic (which means she is the Member of Provincial Parliament responsible for the Health Care portfolio for the NDP)<\/li>\n<li>Adil Shamji, Liberal Health Critic (which means he is the Member of Provincial Parliament responsible for the Health Care portfolio for the Liberal Party of Ontario)<\/li>\n<li>Graham Webb, lawyer and executive director of the Advocacy Centre for the Elderly<\/li>\n<li>Several doctors, nurses and health professionals (more information TBA)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you would like to make a verbal presentation to the expert panel, please register and we will get back to you to confirm your time slot. Please email us at <a href=\"mailto:info@ontariohc.ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">info@ontariohc.ca<\/a> with HEARINGS REGISTRATION in the subject line and give your name, email, phone number, and address. Verbal presentations will be 7 minutes maximum followed by a chance for the expert panel to ask questions or discuss ideas with the presenter. (This is not adversarial! We are there to hear from you. Questions will simply be to clarify information, or get your thoughts and ideas.)<\/p>\n<p>If you would like to make a written submission, please email it to the Ontario Health Coalition at <a href=\"mailto:info@ontariohc.ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">info@ontariohc.ca<\/a> by <strong><u>June 20 at 5 p.m.<\/u><\/strong> Please include your name, email, phone and address with your submission so we can confirm with you the receipt of your submission and send you the final report and recommendations.<\/p>\n<p>______________________________<wbr \/>_________________<\/p>\n<p><em>Below is a short briefing note about the background and context for the public hearings followed by a consultation guide to help you write your submissions. Printable versions available at the end of the page.<br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">Ontario Health Coalition<br \/>\nBackgrounder<br \/>\nUnprecedented Closures of Local Hospital Services<\/h4>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">May 14, 2024<\/h4>\n<p>In Ontario, vital hospital services, such as emergency departments, maternity and obstetrics, outpatient laboratories and intensive care units, have been subject to repeated closures in the last three years. These closures are unprecedented and they are worsening. The duration of closures is getting longer. Multiple towns across regions are closing vital services at the same time. Public notice is often last minute. Remote communities in the north are experiencing long term closures of vital services such as labour and delivery and outpatient laboratories, and repeated emergency department closures or threats of closures. Rural communities across mid-Ontario and the south are particularly hard hit, but we are also seeing closures of vital services in the largest cities of the province.\u00a0 Emergency departments in particular are being repeatedly closed down in the daytime, overnight, on weekends, or for days to weeks.<\/p>\n<p>The Ontario Health Coalition released a <span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca\/index.php\/report-release-unprecedented-and-worsening-ontarios-local-hospital-closures-2023\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca\/index.php\/report-release-unprecedented-and-worsening-ontarios-local-hospital-closures-2023\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1717507058653000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2644GJRiUaPwgyKlkyGWaR\">report<\/a> <\/span>tracking closures at the beginning of December 2023.<\/p>\n<p>The rates of closure are staggering. From January 1 to November 24, 2023, there had been at least:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>868 emergency department closures;<\/li>\n<li>316 urgent care centre closures;<\/li>\n<li>two outpatient laboratory closures;<\/li>\n<li>eleven obstetrics unit closures;<\/li>\n<li>one ICU closure, and;<\/li>\n<li>one labour and delivery unit closure (long-term).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In total, there were 1,199 closures of vital health care services from January 1 to November 24. In other words, these services in Ontario have either temporarily or permanently closed in 1,199 instances this year so far. Consequently, 30,155 hours of care (equivalent to 3.44 years) have been lost to local communities this year so far.<\/p>\n<p>A growing number of local hospitals are at risk of permanently losing services. As a result, the Ontario Health Coalition is working with local communities and coalitions across the province to conduct public hearings on saving local hospitals. The goal is to come out with a report and recommendations to save our local hospitals and their services at minimum, and also to restore stability, revitalize them, improve access, quality, equity and responsiveness of hospital care in our communities. We will then work our hardest to get the recommendations adopted and implemented to save and revitalize our local hospitals.<\/p>\n<p>______________________________<wbr \/>_________________<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">Ontario Health Coalition<br \/>\nPublic Hearings on Local Hospitals<br \/>\nConsultation Document<\/h4>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">May 14, 2024<\/h4>\n<p>The following consultation document is a guide to help in drafting submissions for the hearings. It is not meant to be limiting \u2013 please include any and all information and recommendations you would like to submit. You are also welcome to bring an informal submission \u2013 your story about your family\u2019s access to hospital care in your area, a letter, or point form notes. You do not need to answer all questions \u2013 this is just a guide to help guide the types of issues we are hoping to hear about.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Access to care<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Provincial government decisions to cut or curtail public hospital funding have contributed to the crisis. Long term policies of underfunding hospitals in order to downsize them meant that Ontario had no surge capacity left by the beginning of the pandemic. Ontario has the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca\/index.php\/health-system-facts-trends\/hospital-bed-cuts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca\/index.php\/health-system-facts-trends\/hospital-bed-cuts\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1717507058653000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0kzqEE7LVJ6Uuzr_z6KU3t\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\">fewest hospital beds per person left of any province<\/span><\/a> in Canada and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca\/index.php\/health-system-facts-trends\/funding\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca\/index.php\/health-system-facts-trends\/funding\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1717507058653000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3SpMIk7xzKOlbK0z156jds\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\">funds hospitals at the lowest rate<\/span><\/a> in the country. Despite promises to end hallway medicine and not to cut public services, when the current government was elected it imposed a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca\/index.php\/update-mounting-health-care-cuts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca\/index.php\/update-mounting-health-care-cuts\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1717507058653000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2v7tYNxRgLpZgja2ewwRIx\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\">new round of austerity and real-dollar cuts<\/span><\/a> to public hospitals. While the government provided extra funding during the early years of the pandemic, it <a href=\"https:\/\/ochuleftwords.blogspot.com\/2023\/08\/28-increase-in-covid-hospitalizations.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/ochuleftwords.blogspot.com\/2023\/08\/28-increase-in-covid-hospitalizations.html&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1717507058653000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3OmIOYyVxeAOBJtJz2Mnvo\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\">cancelled COVID funding<\/span><\/a> in the 2023 budget, imposing austerity again. In 2023, global budgets for hospitals in Ontario is increasing by only 0.5% while health care inflation increased by a range of 5.65% to 3.5% a real-dollar cut, pushing hospitals into deficits, forcing hospitals to downsize their services and continuing downward pressure on wages for staff that are already in crisis-levels of short supply. This policy choice is about cutting and constraining public health care funding, yes, but it is also about closing down public non-profit capacity and privatizing it. At the same time as public hospitals are facing real dollar cuts, the provincial government has vastly increased funding for for-profit clinics and hospitals, and for for-profit staffing agencies.<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"15\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td width=\"972\">\n<table width=\"100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Describe the current situation:<\/p>\n<p>1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Can you tell us what hospital services residents in your region have problems accessing?<\/p>\n<p>2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What services have been removed or are experiencing closures in your local hospital(s)? Over what period of time?<\/p>\n<p>3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 How are residents dealing with problems in accessing these services and what does it mean for access to care, cost for patients, and their health status?<\/p>\n<p>4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Are there any services that your local hospital has gained or any services that have been expanded? Over what period of time? If any, what has this meant for local residents?<\/p>\n<p>Recommendations:<\/p>\n<p>5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Which hospital services should be provided and within what travel distance?<\/p>\n<p>6.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What services (existing or not) are or should be particular to this community that are important to keep for cultural, demographic and specific local contextual reasons?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Staffing<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The immediate cause of local hospital services closures is most often cited as staff shortages including nurse, health professional and physician shortages. Staffing shortages that were emerging prior to the pandemic have grown over the last three years into the worst crisis anyone has seen. The staffing crisis has been compounded by public policy choices that have actively undermined staffing efforts, including <a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/9340310\/health-care-ontario-bill-124-ford-government-documents\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/9340310\/health-care-ontario-bill-124-ford-government-documents\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1717507058653000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2v6uzp0dQE4AypT5Aip6dx\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\">wage suppression legislation<\/span><\/a> (Bill 124), privatization of staffing through <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/opinion\/article-nurses-are-fleeing-the-health-system-to-work-for-private-staffing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/opinion\/article-nurses-are-fleeing-the-health-system-to-work-for-private-staffing\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1717507058653000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3uAJP0ccGHSvT0JI0_uFIA\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\">for-profit staffing agencies<\/span><\/a>, the government\u2019s decision to <span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.elliotlaketoday.com\/local-news\/north-shore-health-network-appeals-to-blind-river-for-support-7168894\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.elliotlaketoday.com\/local-news\/north-shore-health-network-appeals-to-blind-river-for-support-7168894&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1717507058653000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2O4GkKFfK95LZv39yEWVQb\">end emergency COVID funding for locums<\/a><\/span> and other funding, and extremely <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/sudbury\/emergency-room-closure-doctor-shortage-1.6941162\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/sudbury\/emergency-room-closure-doctor-shortage-1.6941162&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1717507058653000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0c7excxCIwY-xd0QG7F-B_\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\">short-term funding arrangements<\/span><\/a> announced after short staffing has become critical.<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"1\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td width=\"950\">\n<table width=\"100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Describe the current situation:<\/p>\n<p>1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Are there staffing shortages at your local hospital(s)? These might include nurses, health professionals, doctors, support staff. What types of staff are short? Is it getting worse\/better?<\/p>\n<p>2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What types of recruitment efforts are underway? Are recruitment efforts real? Are they effective?<\/p>\n<p>3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What types of efforts are underway to retain staff and keep them from leaving, if any? Are they effective?<\/p>\n<p>4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Are private staffing agencies having an impact on local hospital staffing? On the local hospital budget? Please describe the impacts.<\/p>\n<p>5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Are you paying locally to recruit staff in competition with other communities? Can you describe what your community is funding locally to recruit staff?<\/p>\n<p>6.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Describe the costs and consequences, if any, resulting from competition with other communities for health care staffing.<\/p>\n<p>Recommendations:<\/p>\n<p>7.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What can be done locally or by the provincial government to restore stable staffing if it is a problem in your community?<\/p>\n<p>8.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What services are critical for your local hospital to have to improve the recruitment and retention of health professionals?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>The Role of the Local Hospital<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>For more than a hundred years, communities across Ontario have fundraised, advocated, and built their local hospitals in an effort to establish needed services close to home. Hospitals have other local benefits also. In his autobiography, Paul Martin Sr., Minister of National Health and Welfare, who saw this program as the essential foundation for the eventual introduction of a public health insurance system in Canada, described his commitment to the creation of a National Health Grants program (1948-1971) to build community hospitals as follows:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe grants would correct the unequal distribution of beds across the country, and particularly the dearth of hospitals in rural areas.\u00a0 Because poor facilities discouraged medical personnel from moving willingly to more remote parts, new, strategically placed and up-to-date hospitals would induce practitioners to go where they were needed most.\u201d\u00a0 <em>(Paul Martin Sr., A Very Public Life Vol.II, 1985)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>For many communities, hospitals are central to the economic life of the community and have advanced equity in access to care.<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"10\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td width=\"957\">\n<table width=\"100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Describe the current situation:<\/p>\n<p>1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What does the hospital mean for your community? What role(s) does it play in the life of your community?<\/p>\n<p>2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Has this improved\/not improved? How and why?<\/p>\n<p>Recommendations:<\/p>\n<p>3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What would the hospital as a hub for healthcare mean in this community?<\/p>\n<p>4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What local innovations (existing or not) should be noted and protected?<\/p>\n<p>5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What hospital and healthcare infrastructure is necessary to promote a robust social and economic life in this community?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Local Hospital Governance<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Hospitals across Ontario have not only been subjected to the most radical downsizing of any province in Canada, they have also experienced very significant loss of local decision-making and control. In a number of communities, hospitals have been amalgamated into larger hospital corporations and local boards have been decommissioned or reduced. The rationale for amalgamation was to find administrative savings but amalgamation has had a huge impact on local services also. In more recent rounds of hospital cuts and restructuring, local hospitals have lost an array of services, and now are facing the loss of core services that define them as hospitals. Some are being closed down entirely.<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"9\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td width=\"957\">\n<table width=\"100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Describe the current situation:<\/p>\n<p>1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Is your local hospital amalgamated? If so, what has amalgamation meant for your local services and access to care? What has the impact been on your local voice in decisions that impact access to care?<\/p>\n<p>2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 If your local hospital is amalgamated, has amalgamation improved access to care, democracy, responsiveness, equity or quality of care? Who has benefitted the most from amalgamation? Who has lost the most?<\/p>\n<p>3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Whether your local hospital is amalgamated or not, has the governance of your local hospital improved\/not improved? \u00a0Over what period of time? How and why?<\/p>\n<p>Recommendations:<\/p>\n<p>4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Should local hospital boards be elected? Who should be members of a local hospital?<\/p>\n<p>5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What improvements to democratic governance of the local hospital should be adopted?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Provincial Leadership and Standards<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In each round of hospital cuts and restructuring, the provincial government has set processes and at least some standards for how hospitals are to make decisions regarding local services. They have been far from adequate, but they did exist. On multiple occasions, the Minister of Health intervened to stop the closure of local services, and certainly at no time has a provincial government indicated that it is not responsible for planning service levels and resourcing Ontario\u2019s hospitals. In today\u2019s unprecedented situation of hospital service closures, there has been a major difference. In response to the permanent closure of the Minden hospital emergency department, in existence since 1956, the <span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cp24.com\/news\/urgent-care-clinic-to-open-at-site-of-shuttered-minden-ont-er-1.6448687#:~:text=Despite%20a%20large%20outcry%20from,it%20was%20a%20local%20decision.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.cp24.com\/news\/urgent-care-clinic-to-open-at-site-of-shuttered-minden-ont-er-1.6448687%23:~:text%3DDespite%2520a%2520large%2520outcry%2520from,it%2520was%2520a%2520local%2520decision.&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1717507058653000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0_yjT5lUkBvHwTi48cT-8o\">Minister said it is a local decision<\/a><\/span>. The failure of the provincial government to take responsibility for planning, recruiting and retaining needed health care staff, dealing with crises and setting standards for access to the most urgent of health care services is at odds with the approach of Ontario\u2019s governments dating back at least forty years.<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"2\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td width=\"957\">\n<table width=\"100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Describe the current situation:<\/p>\n<p>6.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Has the provincial government intervened to stop service closures or cuts, restore services, or to deal with staffing shortages in your local hospital(s)?<\/p>\n<p>7.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Are provincial government leadership, support and standards adequate to ensure that you have the local hospital services, quality and access to care, equity and democratic input that your community needs?<\/p>\n<p>Recommendations:<\/p>\n<p>8.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Would it help to have a required basket of services that must be provided in all local hospitals? If so, please provide any input you have on which services should be provided and within what travel distance?<\/p>\n<p>9.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Please share your recommendations for what the provincial government should do to help save, rebuild and revitalize your local hospital services? What resources does your local community need? What protections for improved equity in access to care or improvements in quality of care and democratic governance should there be? Any standards you would like to recommend?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/Final-full-package_list-of-hearings_backgrounder_consultation-document-updated.pdf\">Click here for background consultation document with list of hearings<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/Backgrounder.pdf\">Click here for printable version of backgrounder on hospital closures<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/Guide-and-questions-for-submissions.pdf\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\">Click here for guide and questions for submissions<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>(June 3, 2024) TORONTO \u2014 In response to more than 1,200 closures of emergency departments and other local hospital services over the last year, the Ontario Health Coalition (OHC) is holding public hearings across Ontario to develop recommendations for the future of our local hospitals, including small, rural and northern community hospitals. Mid size or [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,73,19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29633","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-hospitals","category-hospitals-media-releases","category-whats-new"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>EVENT &amp; RELEASE:  Public Hearings on Protecting &amp; Improving Local Hospitals: Community members invited to give input - Ontario Health Coalition<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"(June 3, 2024) TORONTO \u2014 In response to more than 1,200 closures of emergency departments and other local hospital services over the last year, the\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca\/index.php\/event-release-public-hearings-on-protecting-and-improving-local-hospitals-community-members-invited-to-give-input\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"EVENT &amp; 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