Hospital surgeries closer to home? I don't think so.

It's hard to count the number of times Deb Mathews highlights the claim that the Ministry of Health and LTC is providing surgeries closer to home in her short letter on bariatric surgeries that is appearing in newspapers across Ontario today.

If you count just the exact phrase "closer to home" it's only twice, but if you add in references to "here at home", "in Ontario", or "in the province" you get nine hits. (I think. You can count for yourself here.)

While it is admirable that the government is trying to build capacity for bariatric surgery in Ontario (rather than ship patients off to the U.S. of A.), isn't it just a bit rich to hear so much emphasis on moving surgeries closer to home from a government bent on centralizing surgeries, emergency rooms, and other acute care services?

The lady doth protest too much, methinks.

More evidence that centralizing services is a weak spot -- and the government knows it.

dallan@cupe.ca

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