The Peterborough Health Coalition (PHC) comes to this meeting to support the Board as a defender of public health care and the future of our hospital.  At the same time we are very upset with the entire process of deficit elimination at PRHC.

Government policy of immediate deficit elimination and the Board Plan to address it are unacceptable and very destructive.  The cuts to health care programs and services are unacceptable to both the PHC and the Peterborough and area community.  Some non-cut recommendations have been proposed to eliminate a significant proportion of the deficit, and we believe the Board should stop cutting at this point.

PRHC has a strong case before the Government. For example,

·        The local Functional Plan, approved by the Ministry four years ago, calls for 483 beds, based, obviously, on the large population PRHC and its region serves, as well as the demographics of a high level of seniors.

·        Instead we have only 379 beds, 40 of these unfunded by the Government.  Moreover, PRHC has to "ramp up" staff and services to prepare for the new hospital.

·        The Government is demanding deficit elimination which would create service cuts at the same time as it has vastly underfunded the existing hospital.

THE WHOLE COMMUNITY MUST TAKE A STAND!

The Government has provided no evidence that PRHC is wasteful with its budget and practices.  The cuts proposed will mean a loss of valuable staff, ridiculously timed severance payments, defections of the most qualified medical staff from PRHC and increasingly very poor morale at PRHC.

PHC message is obvious - NO SERVICE CUTS.

The Hospital Board Plan in response is unacceptable to PHC and the community.  We cannot find anyone who accepts it. It is also a very dangerous Plan as the Government might just accept it.

PHC is also alarmed at some statements from PRHC praising the Government for its policy of transferring health care services out of the hospital.  Any community agency funding for these moves is inadequate at present and likely will continue so in the future, given this year's cost cutting by this Government.

Further, it is very risky for citizens that such services are transferred out of the hospital where OHIP funding is guaranteed (Canada Health Act).  It would be easy for Government to de-list previously insured services if delivered out of the hospital setting.  The precedent in the May Budget to de-list three essential services should be a signal of Government intention.

There is definitely a relationship between the current crisis and the new hospital.  The Plan scales down PRHC delivered services at the same time as the community is expecting increases in services and staff within three years.

Minister Smitherman's letter ten days ago was not reassuring to PHC as it guaranteed funding UP TO a maximum of $176,934,164, thereby allowing the Government to provide less funding if the scope of our new hospital is reduced.

Hopefully, Government will reject the service cuts in the Plan and, upon return of this Plan, it is necessary for the community to be actively involved in solving the financial problem.

So, who is representing the community?

·        MPP Leal? who has not returned the request for an urgent meeting made three and one half weeks ago.

·         PRHC administration? who delivers our very necessary health care for which we are grateful, but they also proposed this unacceptable Plan.

·        PHC? which is an organization trying to boldly represent the community, a movement that will continue.

·        Or the Hospital Board of which the community knows very little.

There should be an active partnership to include all four parties.

The Hospital Board has real power as the current crisis has demonstrated.  But it also has responsibility.  To truly represent the community the Board must:

·        be much more democratic and transparent

·        actively seek community input

·        not cut health care services and must stand up to Government pressure.

If the Board fulfills all three practices, then we can all work together in a community partnership to escape the current hospital crisis and save our new hospital as it has been planned and for which considerable fundraising has occurred.

NO health care service cuts!  Please be open with the Peterborough and Area community.

Respectfully submitted by,

Roy Brady

Peterborough Health Coalition