Maria Van Bommel questions Health Minister Deb Matthews

By CKDP Staff

Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP Maria Van Bommel today (Nov. 3) questioned the Honourable Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-term Care about rural health services and the role and mandate of the Rural and Northern Health Care Panel.

“There are serious concerns being expressed about the process the panel is following and the lack of consultation to date,” said Van Bommel in a media release. “Hearing from Ontarians about health care issues and services in their communities is very important and I know my constituents expect to have a voice. Could the Minister please address the concerns of my constituents?”

“Ontarians should have access to high-quality health care no matter where they live in the province,” responded Minister Matthews in the release. “That is why we created the Rural and Northern Panel to examine the unique challenges that these communities face. We will be consulting with Ontarians. This plan is about improving health care services in their communities. Their voices are crucially important to this.”

The rural and northern panel will highlight existing programs and services targeting northern and rural communities; identify rural and northern Ontario’s health care challenges; recommend steps the government can take to improve access to health care in rural and northern Ontario using existing resources. Our government is looking forward to seeing the panels’ report early in the New Year.

“The panel is now in its first stage,” continued the Minister. “Part of their work includes engaging Ontarians on five specific questions through the website. Their report will then form the base for discussion at broader community consultations – the second phase of our approach – and inform the development of our provincial framework, which is the third and final stage of their work.”

“Hospitals are important to communities and constituents in my riding are understandable anxious about changes occurring at their hospitals,” continued Van Bommel. “Could the Minister please confirm that the panel will be looking at the sustainability of hospitals and emergency rooms as part of the larger picture of local health care in rural communities?”

“The challenges facing rural and northern communities across Ontario and long-standing, difficult and complex,” said Matthews. “Health care facilities serve multiple roles relative to those in urban centres and are farther apart with significant travel between locations. I can tell you the panel will be recommending guidelines for LHINs, to be used when considering changing roles for health facilities.”

“We will continue to invest more in our hospitals, and the health care sector overall – just as we have done in every single year that we have been in office. Hospital funding in Ontario has increased from $10.9 billion in 2003/04 to $15.4 billion in 2009/10 – an overall 42 per cent increase.”

According to the Minister, the submission of the panel’s report in the New Year is not the end of the story – it’s a start to an important discussion that will include the community facing these challenges every day. The McGuinty government is committed to working with all our partners and interested Ontarians to develop a framework that helps deliver better care in rural and northern communities.