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New Hospital Beds Announced — For Now


The Ontario government announced October 23 that it will open 1,200 new hospital beds and 600 other beds and “spaces.”  In total they say there will be over 2,000 new beds and spaces. 
This follows a long term campaign by OCHU/CUPE, the Ontario Health Coalition,
and others on the extraordinarily low level of hospital bed capacity in Ontario. 
Among developed nations, Canada has the lowest level of hospital beds per capita
and Ontario bed capacity is significantly below the Canadian average.  As a result,
most other developed nations have bed occupancy levels around 75%.  Ontario has bed occupancy over 90% and in many cases over 100%.  Bed occupancy in hospitals should not exceed 80-85%.  High levels of bed occupancy drive emergency room delays, superbug infections, cancelled surgeries, delays and backlogs. 
Hospital capacity has been increasingly challenged.  Years of real cuts in hospital funding and effective capacity after 2008-2009 made the situation worse.  After
years of meekly accepting the cuts, hospital management began to speak out.  The government’s fiscal situation also improved significantly and the government became more sensitive to public needs as the June 2018 election approached.  As a result, starting in 2016, we were able to achieve somewhat higher hospital funding.
Now the government has announced over $100 million to open “over” 2,000 new hospital beds and other health care spaces.  A list of beds and spaces by hospital,
other facility, and LHIN is attached.  A further $40 million was simultaneously announced for “post-hospital and preventative care at home”.
This is a positive announcement and is another victory for our community and labour campaign to defend public hospitals.  CUPE jobs are strongly connected with hospital inpatient capacity so, above and beyond the much needed boost to hospital care, this should also improve employment security for CUPE members.  However, the announcement also has some serious shortcomings:
  •   Health Minister Hoskins has said he hopes to have most of the beds available within two to four weeks, and all by the end of the calendar year.  He has told the media that the transitional spaces are permanent, but, he says, whether the additional beds will remain in place after the upcoming flu season will depend on budgetary considerations. 
  • In other words, we will have to fight just to keep the beds open past the end of the fiscal year on March 31, 2018.  The problem however, is that Ontario was well below needed bed capacity before the usual winter (flu-related) surge in demand for hospital services.  So, removing these beds after March 31 will create serious care issues.  Our campaign will have to intensify — with the election upcoming and Ontario’s economy and fiscal situation much improved we remain well placed to do that in the months ahead.  After the election, the situation may not be as positive. 
  • Some of the beds and spaces announced will go to for-profit providers.  For example, in two cases, largely unregulated retirement homes are cited.  The government has consistently fed for-profit providers despite significant problems with their care and costs. 
  • In many cases, the actual provider of the new beds and spaces have not yet been specified by the government.

Attached are the numbers of beds and spaces this funding will create, sorted by Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs).  “Additional beds/spaces” are those that have not yet been allocated to a particular health service provider within the LHIN, but will be allocated “based on need” at a later date. 






Health Care Facility
Beds or Spaces

ERIE ST. CLAIR LHIN
Windsor Regional Hospital Beds
20
Bluewater Health Beds
10
Additional Beds/Spaces
24
Short-Term Transitional Care Spaces in the Erie St. Clair Region
(a partnership with the LHIN, Assisted Living Southwestern Ontario
and March of Dimes)
113

SOUTH WEST LHIN
London Health Sciences Centre University Hospital Beds
10
London Health Sciences Centre Victoria Hospital Beds
14
London Health Sciences Centre Mental Health Beds
24
St. Joseph’s Health Care Beds
6
Additional Beds/Spaces
43
Short-Term Transitional Care Spaces in London (a partnership with the LHIN, London Health Sciences Centre, St. Joseph’s Health Care London and Canadian Mental Health Association Middlesex)
5




WATERLOO WELLINGTON LHIN
Beds or Spaces
Grand River Hospital Kitchener-Waterloo Site Beds
7
St. Mary’s General Hospital Beds
4
Cambridge Memorial Hospital Beds
4
St. Joseph’s Health Centre Beds
7
Groves Memorial Community Hospital Beds
2
North Wellington Health Care Beds
1
Additional Beds/Spaces
22
Short-Term Transitional Care Spaces in the Waterloo-Wellington Region 
20
  
HAMILTON NIAGARA HALDIMAND BRANT LHIN
Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation Juravinski Site Beds
15
Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation General Site Beds
15
Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation NICU Bassinets
3
Niagara Health System Welland Site Beds
25
Niagara Health System General Site Beds
1
St. Joseph’s Health Care Hamilton Charlton Site Beds
24
Additional Beds/Spaces
65



HAMILTON NIAGARA HALDIMAND BRANT LHIN  continued
Beds or Spaces
Short-Term Transitional Care Spaces at Niagara Retirement Home
10
Short-Term Transitional Care Spaces in Hamilton (services offered by AbleLiving Assisted Living Services Provider)
6
Short-Term Transitional Care Spaces with Wesley Urban Ministries
8
Supportive Housing Units at Participation House Brantford (a partnership with the LHIN and Brant Community Healthcare)
8
Supportive Housing Units at Six Nations of the Grand River (a partnership with the LHIN and Six Nations Health Services)
3
Supportive Housing Units at St. Joseph’s Home Care (a partnership with the LHIN and St. Joseph’s Health Care Hamilton)
40

CENTRAL WEST LHIN
William Osler Health System Brampton Civic Site Beds
6
William Osler Health System Etobicoke General Site Beds
22
Headwaters Health Care Centre Beds
8
Additional Beds/Spaces
31
Short-Term Transitional Care Spaces in Malton (a partnership with Brampton Civic Hospital, Etobicoke General Hospital and Ridgewood Court Seniors Apartments) 
15




MISSISSAUGA HALTON LHIN
Beds or Spaces
Halton Healthcare Beds
25
Trillium Health Partners Beds (regional beds working with local partners)
72
Bridges to Care Beds (supporting Trillium Health Partners)
22
Short-Term Transitional Care Spaces in the Mississauga-Halton Region (in partnership with the LHIN, Trillium Health Partners, Halton Healthcare, Wawel Villa, Sunrise Senior Living, Heritage House and Del Manor Retirement Home)
75

TORONTO CENTRAL LHIN
University Health Network Beds
20
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Beds
10
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre NICU Bassinets
2
Sinai Health System Beds
24
Sinai Health System NICU Bassinets
4
St. Joseph’s Health Centre / Providence Healthcare / St. Michael’s Hospital Beds
22
Toronto East Health Network Beds
14
West Park Healthcare Centre Long-Term Vented Beds (as regional support for Trillium Health Partners)
5



TORONTO CENTRAL LHIN  continued
Beds or Spaces
Hospital for Sick Children NICU Bassinets
2
Additional Beds/Spaces
92
Short-Term Transitional Care Spaces in the Toronto Region (a partnership with WoodGreen Community Services, Etobicoke Services for Seniors, The Rekai Centre, The Neighbourhood Group, LOFT Community Services, Reconnect, Providence Healthcare, St. Michael’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Health Centre, Sinai Health System, Circle of Care, Centre for Addictions and Mental Health and Community Living)
87
Short-Term Transitional Care Spaces at University Health Network’s former Hillcrest site
75
Supportive Housing Units at WoodGreen Community Services and
LOFT Community Services (a partnership with the LHIN, Providence Healthcare, St. Michael’s Hospital, Bridgepoint Health, Michael Garron Hospital, St. Joseph’s Health Centre, Westpark Health Care Centre and South Riverdale Community Health Care)
77


CENTRAL LHIN

Southlake Regional Health Centre Beds
4
Markham Stouffville Hospital Beds
4
Humber River Hospital Beds
4
Mackenzie Health Beds
4
North York General Hospital Beds
4
CENTRAL LHIN  continued
Beds or Spaces
Additional Beds/Spaces
51
Humber River Hospital’s former Finch Site Beds
150
Short-Term Transitional Care Spaces in the Greater Toronto Area
20

CENTRAL EAST LHIN
Lakeridge Health Oshawa Site Beds
22
Scarborough and Rouge Hospital General Site Beds
14
Scarborough and Rouge Hospital Birchmount Site Beds
8
Northumberland Hills Hospital Beds
8
Ross Memorial Hospital Beds
8
Peterborough Regional Health Centre Beds
20
Additional Beds/Spaces
28
Short-Term Transitional Care Spaces at Ontario Shores Centre for
Mental Health Sciences (a partnership with Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences, Lakeridge Health, Seniors Care Network, Alzheimer Society of Durham, municipal service managers, mental health and addictions supportive housing providers, primary care physicians, Carea Community Health Centre, Canadian Mental Health Association Durham, and nurse practitioner-led clinics)
20




SOUTH EAST LHIN
Beds or Spaces
Kingston Health Sciences Centre Beds
25
Kingston Health Sciences Centre NICU Bassinets
2
Quinte Health Care Corporation Belleville Site Beds
15
Additional Beds/Spaces
22
Short-Term Transitional Care Spaces in Kingston (a partnership with Kingston Health Sciences Centre, Kingston General Hospital and Bayshore Health Care Ltd.)
10

CHAMPLAIN LHIN
The Ottawa Hospital Beds
45
Queensway-Carleton Hospital Beds
5
Cornwall Community Hospital General Site Beds
15
Montfort Hospital Beds
5
Additional Beds/Spaces
58
Short-Term Transitional Care Spaces in Ottawa (a partnership with
The Ottawa Hospital, The Perley and Rideau Veterans’ Health Centre)
20
Supportive Housing Unit at Bruyère Continuing Care (a partnership with the LHIN and Bruyère Continuing Carel) 
12




NORTH SIMCOE MUSKOKA LHIN
Beds or Spaces
Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre Beds
36
Collingwood General And Marine Hospital Beds
4
Georgian Bay General Hospital Beds
4
Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital Beds
12
Additional Beds/Spaces
13
Short-Term Transitional Care Spaces in Brechin and Barrie (a partnership with Helping Hands, Couchiching Health Links, Barrie Community Health Link, Canadian Mental Health Association, Brechin Pharmacy, Wendat Housing Supports for Frail Seniors, Alzheimer Society of Ontario, VitalAire, Housing Resource Centre, David Busby Street Centre, Acquired Brain Injuries Services, CHIGAMIK Community Health Centre, Barrie Area Native Advisory Circle)
21
Supportive Housing Units in Simcoe County including Barrie
(a partnership with the LHIN and Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre), Orillia (LHIN and Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital), Midland/Penetanguishene (LHIN and Georgian Bay General Hospital) and Collingwood (LHIN and Collingwood General and Marine Hospital)
48
Supportive Housing Units Bracebridge and Huntsville (a partnership with the LHIN and District Municipality of Muskoka and Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare)
12




NORTH EAST LHIN
Beds or Spaces
Sudbury Regional Hospital Beds
16
Sault Area Hospital Beds
8
North Bay Regional Health Centre Beds
8
Timmins & District Hospital Beds
8
Additional Beds/Spaces
31
Short-Term Transitional Care Spaces (a partnership with Health Sciences North and Independence Centre and Network)
4

NORTH WEST LHIN
Lake of the Woods District Hospital Beds
4
Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre Beds
12
Additional Beds/Spaces
19
Short-Term Transitional Care Spaces (a partnership with St. Joseph’s Care Group) 
6
Short-Term Transitional Care Spaces at Pinecrest Home in Kenora
(a partnership with Lake of the Woods District Hospital) 
10




2017:cope491:djk

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