Ontario's Small, Rural and Northern Municipalities Outline Strategy to Save Local Health Care

TORONTO, ONTARIO, Apr 29 (MARKET WIRE) --
Editors Note: A photo for this release will be available via Marketwire
on the picture wire of The Canadian Press.

Today, an alliance of municipalities from across the province presented a
health care strategy to save vital services in Ontario's small, rural and
northern communities at a press conference and rally at Queen's Park.

"Everyone should have access to high-quality health services, no matter
where they live," said Doug Martin, chairman of the Alliance to Save
Ontario's Small, Rural and Northern Hospitals and mayor of Fort Erie.

"Local heath care is currently in crisis and the province needs to create
a health care strategy specifically for Ontario's small, rural and
northern communities."

The Alliance outlined a strategy focusing on five guarantees:

1. Hospital Access & Services Guarantee;

2. 24-7 Emergency Room Access & Travel Time Guarantee;

3. Community Information & Education Guarantee;

4. Accountability & Transparency Guarantee; and

5. Fair, Flexible & Community-Based Funding Guarantee.

Thousands of people from across the province participated in today's SOS
- Save Our Services - rally on the front lawn of the Legislative Assembly
of Ontario. They included mayors, local councillors, health professionals
and residents from the Town of Fort Erie, City of Port Colborne, County
of Lambton, Municipality of Magnetawan, Town of Petrolia, Town of
Tillsonburg, Township of Armour, Township of Brooke-Alvinston, Township
of Ryerson, Village of Oil Springs and the Village of Burks Falls.

BACKGROUNDER

A Health Care Strategy for Ontario's Small, Rural and Northern Communities

1. Hospital Access & Services Guarantee:

- Recognize hospitals as the hubs of small, rural and northern
communities;

- Deliver local emergency care, long-term care and mental health services;

- Provide access to diagnostic services and lab testing within the
community;

- Maintain and protect full-service hospital access: outpatient services
and acute care beds;

- Establish a rural health care staff recruitment and retention strategy;
and

- Establish a resource sharing strategy and create connectivity between
hospitals.

2. 24-7 Emergency Room Access & Travel Time Guarantee:

- Ensure ERs are open on a 24-7 basis; and

- Establish guidelines for how long it should take to travel to
properly-staffed emergency room facilities.

3. Community Information & Education Guarantee:

- Create a comprehensive awareness and education campaign to inform those
living in small, rural and northern communities about their health care
services;

- Establish guidelines for ongoing education about local health services;
and

- Provide timely information about changes in health services.

4. Accountability & Transparency Guarantee:

- Recognize that government, Local Health Integration Networks and
hospital boards must be accountable to the communities they serve;

- Establish strict guidelines for open and transparent community
interaction by LHINs and hospital boards in small, rural and northern
communities; and

- Establish guidelines for community consultation and engagement.

5. Fair, Flexible & Community-Based Funding Guarantee:

- Recognize that funding needs are different in small, rural and northern
communities; and

- Create guidelines for increased, fair and flexible funding based on
community needs instead of per capita funding.

Contacts:
MEDIA CONTACT:
Kaleigh Sainthill
(416) 968-7311 x222
ksainthill@argylecommunications.com

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