PRESS  RELEASE

Ontario Improving Access to Care in Wellington County

Province Increasing Investment in Hospitals to Support Patients and Families

 

NEWS

 

November 25, 2016

 

Ontario is improving access to care in Wellington County, helping to reduce wait times and support increased access to services that patients and families rely on.

 

MPP Liz Sandals, Guelph, is pleased to announce that there will be increased funding of $174,100 for Groves Memorial Community Hospital and  $156,500 for North Wellington Health Care Corporation this year to improve access to care and reduce the length of hospital stays for patients and families in Wellington County.

 

Recently announced in the 2016 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review, the new investment from the province ensures that all public hospitals in Ontario have received, at a minimum, a two per cent increase to their base funding this year. Additional funding has been provided to hospitals to support population growth and changing health care needs in their communities.

 

Improving access to hospital services is part of the government’s plan to build a better Ontario through its Patients First: Action Plan for Health Care, which provides patients with faster access to the right care; better home and community care; the information they need to live healthy; and a health care system that is sustainable for generations to come.

 

QUOTES

“I am very pleased that our government is making investments in Groves Memorial Community Hospital and North Wellington Health Care Corporation to help these facilities to continue to provide high quality health services to our community.  This new investment will help to reduce wait times and to support increased access to the services that the citizens of Wellington County need. ”

– Liz Sandals, MPP for Guelph

 

“In recent years, hospitals have become more efficient while improving patient care, even as they face increased demand for services. Through this additional investment, our government is committed to ensuring hospitals maintain a high level of care to address the increased health care needs of a growing and aging population.”

— Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care

 

“On behalf of the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA), I would like to thank the Government of Ontario for supporting hospitals with this needed investment as they work to provide care to patients under challenging circumstances. The resources made available, thanks to today’s announcement, will help ensure continued access to high quality health services in communities across Ontario.”

–      Anthony Dale, President and CEO, Ontario Hospital Association

 

“Local clinicians, staff and volunteers are doing an exceptional job on the front-line caring for residents. Because of them, we’ve seen significant improvements in the quality and efficiency of care. Our hospitals continue to see more patients with more complex care needs. This additional funding will support our hospitals in reducing wait times and improving flow through the health care system.”

–      Bruce Lauckner, CEO, Waterloo Wellington LHIN

 

“Each year demand for health services increase as our populations age. Responding to these pressures requires innovative leadership to work with all partners and stakeholders that make up our healthcare system.  We are pleased that the Ministry continues to be a great partner in maintaining services to support our growing population.  The funding announcement today will help us continue to offer care close to home for residents in Centre and North Wellington."

-Stephen K. Street, President and CEO, Groves Memorial Community Hospital and North Wellington Health Care

 

QUICK FACTS

• Ontario is investing an additional $140 million in public hospitals across the province to ensure that they continue to meet the growing needs of their local communities. This new funding builds on an increase of more than $345 million for Ontario’s hospitals as part of the 2016 Budget.
• There are 147 public hospitals in Ontario.

• Hospital funding in Ontario has increased more than 2 per cent, from $17 billion in 2013-14 to $17.4 billion in 2016-17.  

·         This year’s $51.8 billion health care budget is a 2.1 per cent increase over last year – greater than the rate of inflation.

·         According to a recent report from the Fraser Institute, Ontario has the shortest median wait times to see a specialist in the country. The province has committed to further reducing specialist wait times in The Minister of Health and Long-Term Care’s most recent mandate letter.