Defend Public Healthcare

IN  response to a CUPE media conference on superbugs, Nipissing Liberal MPP Monique Smith pointed out that hospitals are now required to report superbug infections. She said  improved   tracking of infection rates has produced the lowest infection rates in years, with the rates of infection going down all the time. Which is an odd claim because the government only instituted superbug reporting (after CUPE had spent years campaigning for it) in August 2008 – a mere two and a half years ago.  And it’s odder still because the government’s own data proves no such claim.  The  MRSA rate is where it was when the government started reporting;  the C. Difficile rate for January 2010 through January 2011 (0.301)  is very slightly lower than the 2009 average (0.305) , but the January 2011 rate is actually higher (0.34).  The VRE rate continues to be reported as 0.00, with few cases reported (only 8 in all hospitals from October to December 2010).  But, as reported here earlier , the Ott

The Ontario Ombudsman has decided not to investigate the decision to move 31 mental health hospital beds from North Bay to Sudbury. A complaint, filed in July by the Concerned Citizens' Committee of North Bay and Area, charged that  the North East LHIN didn't adequately consult with patients, families and experts before making its decision April 29. The North East LHIN acknowledged that an open call for public consultation wasn't made, but said a task force consulted stakeholders. Gareth Jones, director of the Special Ombudsman Response Team that considered the complaint, said his team interviewed many people before deciding not to investigate the complaint. Linda Williamson, a spokeswoman for Ombudsman Ontario, said the watchdog does not investigate decisions by a government organizations, such as a local health integration network, but rather the process. Louise Paquette, CEO of the North East LHIN, commented "I'm pleased we've got some closure.  We