The Ontario Health Coalition reported today that the Minister of Health and Long Term Care has finally relented and agreed to a review of the (so-called) "Hospital Improvement Plan" in Niagara. As reported earlier, the Niagara municipal leaders had asked the Minister for a review in April. The review will only focus on the parts of the HIP that have been implemented -- not those still pending. The review will involve the Local Health Integration Network, the Niagara Health System hospital, and regional municipal leaders. They will establish terms of reference for the review. Local municipalities have shown good leadership on the HIP, so many in Niagara will be looking to them to stand strong. No doubt, community members will work hard to ensure that this is a serious attempt to review the HIP and not a whitewash. The people in local communities (with the OHC) have fought the closures and cutbacks that came with the HIP tooth and nail. So this step forward is their
Notes from Leftwords -- Doug Allan