Huron Expositor, 2009-09-16, Page 10Pap 10 The Huron Expositor • Upternber 16, 2009
News
Hospitals struggling with community expectations, LHIN told
Sus,n Jjnndertm.irk
High community expectations and
the struggle to pass a balanced bud-
get are challenging local hospitals,
the South West LHIN (Local Health
Integration Network) heard at a
board engagement session in Sea -
forth last Wednesday.
Bill Thibert, CEO of Alexandra
Marine and General Hospital in
Goderich, told LHIN board members
that as he tries to plan his budget
for 2010/11 and 2011/12 while wait-
ing for funding information from the
province, he's keenly aware that any
necessary cuts to services will be
protested by the local community.
"We never ask the community if we
had to drop a service, what would it
be. Communities aren't prepared for
that question and how do we prepare
them?" he said.
Thibert said that funding an-
nouncements , he expected ' in June
have still not come through and he's
been told. to plan for anywhere from
a zero to two per cent increase in
hospital funding. And, with increas-
ing costs in labour, supplies and ben-
efits, Thibert said he's always got to
consider if cuts to services will be
necessary.
"It's frustrating - inflation and our
costs are exceeding our funding. We
are working with other hospitals but
there's a strong community reaction
to cuts and is it a job for the LHIN or
the hospital board to deal with that?"
he asked.
Thibert added that after asking
the community to'contribute to a CT
scanner, it would be difficult to cut
services..
"I could see the community itself
saying, 'What is going on?'" he said.
"When the community will open
their purses, it's so hard to go back
and say we're reducing services,"
agreed Alan Fisher, chair of the Ha-
nover District Hospital.
LHIN chair Norm Gamble told Thi-
bert that the LHIN is not withhold-
ing any informa-
tion it has about
funding but is
happy to see col-
laboration hap-
pening between
hospitals, giving
the 11 hospitals
in Grey -Bruce
and the four hos-
pitals in the Hu-
ron Perth Health-
care Alliance as
examples.
"The future
has got to be
sharing servic-
es," agreed LHIN
board member
Anne Lake.
LHIN board
member Linda
Stevenson said
that since there
aren't new dol-
lars coming into
healthcare, the
LHIN will be de-
pending on local
communities for
their solutions.
Notice of Public Meeting
Concerning a Proposed Official Plan
Amendment for a Five -Year Review of
the Huron County Official Plan
TAKE NOTICE that the Council of the Corporation of the
County of Huron will hold a public meeting on:
Thursday, October 8th, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. at the Holmesville Community Centre (180
Community Centre Road) to consider a proposed official plan amendment under Section 17 of
the Planning Act.
'Y'.Ifi �_.1.;�?►;;1!.I!J�i?;'
ANY PERSON may attend the public meeting and/or make written or verbal representation either
in support: of or in opposition to the proposed official plan amendment.
IF you wish to be notified of the adoption of the proposed official plan amendment, or of the
refusal to adopt the official plan amendment, you must make a written request to Barbara Wilson,
Clerk, County of Huron, 1 Court House Square, Goderich, ON N7A 1M2.
IF a person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written
submissions to the County of Huron before the proposed official plan amendment is adopted, the
person or public body is not entitled to appealthe decision of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and
Housing to the Ontario Municipal Board.
IF a person or public body does not make an oral submission at a public meeting or make written
submissions to the County of Huron before the official plan amendment is adopted, the person or
public body may not be added as a party to the hearing of an appeal before the Ontario Municipal
Board unless, In the opinion of the Board, there are reasonable grounds to add the person or
public body.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION and a copy of the proposed amendment is available for inspection
during regular office hours at the County of Huron Planning and Development Department, 57
Napier St., Goderich, (519) 524-8394 .Ext. 3 and on the Huron County website at
www,huroncounty.ca.
PURPOSE AND EFFECT:
The Huron,;County Planning and Development Department is required to undertake a 5 -year
review of the . County's Official Plan, a land use planning document that is .a statement of where
and how development should take place. The Plan includes vision goals and policy directions for
development of the County for Agriculture, Community Services, the Economy, Extractive
Resources, Natural Environment, and Settlement Patterns.
DATED AT THE COUNTY OF HURON THIS
11 DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2009
Barbara Wilson, Clerk
County of Huron
1 Court House Square
Goderich, ON NTA 1M2
(519) 524-8394
•
V
• "You're such innovators out here. I
like to see solutions come out of the
community - you do it better than we
ever could," she said.
Gamble suggested that inviting
communication with the communi-
ty and local municipal councils is a
good way to respond to the challenge
of limited healthcare funding.
"Preparing the community for
change takes a lot of work and there's
been this rumour that hospitals oper-
ate behind closed doors, that they're
not accessible and open," he said.
LHIN board member Janet McE-
wen said the LHIN's community
engagement sessions are one way it
is trying to involve the public in the
changes happening in healthcare.
She added that hospitals in small,
rucral communities have better ac-
cess to their local newspapers than
urban hospitals do.
"We have to prepare our communi-
ties better for the news we're going
to bring them. You have better ears
to your press than we do. Local pa-
pers are eager for news and hospi-
tals have a great opportunity to talk
to the paper," she said.
Thibertsaid recent messages from
the Ministry of Health about receiv-
ing more care closer to home are be-
ing taken literally by local communi-
ties. •
"They want services where they
live," he said.
LHIN board member Kerry Bla-
grave responded that message was
about community support services
and keeping aging. people in their
homes longer.
Gamble added that the community
always seems to think of reduced
services as a crisis, rather than the
success of prevention and keeping
more people out of the hospital.
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Phone: 519-482-5510
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Frank Cameron email: frankcameronCbellnet.ca
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Karl McNamara email: kmcnamaraC bellnet.ca
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