South East LHIN restructuring plans not likely until after election

Tremendous controversy has been stirred up by the South East LHINs development of a clinical services plan for area hospitals. The idea is to develop a more efficient regional health system with greater co-operation between its seven hospital corporations. "Everything we're going to do, moving forward, is going to be hinging on this Clinical Services Road Map," LHIN chair Georgina Thompson told the Belleville Intelligencer.

Brockville in particular has been concerned that its hospital would be downgraded.

Now the LHIN has ruled out removing all surgeries from Brockville, but it remains far from clear how clinical services will be structured. Hospital restructuring in other areas has led to the removal of services from smaller communities, or to region-wide specialization, where hospitals become not so much general hospitals for their local area, as specialized facilities serving a broader region. This, in turn, creates serious problems for local access to care, especially for lower income people.

The South East LHIN now says that major restructuring plans could be made in September or October.

Well, call me a cynic, but with the provincial election in early October, I don't think we are going to hear about any major plans in September...

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