MANITOULIN—The Manitoulin Health Centre (MHC) has received a two percent increase in its base funding for the next year, which is somewhat good news, but does not provide for capacity resource and program growth.
“We have received confirmation from the province that we will be receiving a two percent base funding increase for the next year,” said Derek Graham, chief executive officer of the Manitoulin Health Centre, last Friday. “Interestingly, the government had announced a 4.55 percent increase for the hospital sector in its recent (2018) budget, but this increase is being divvied up into specific programming as well so it is not all going toward base funding.”
Mr. Graham said that “all small hospitals across Ontario are getting two percent, while medium and large sized hospitals are either getting an under one percent increase and some about two percent.”
“Then there is the targeted parts of the funding, for instance to improve wait time for certain surgeries as an example,” said Mr. Graham. “The increase in funding is warranted and terrific, but two percent does not allow for the purchase of additional capacity in the system. It only keeps the wolf from the door. It means no growth in programs, staff or volumes of current programs.”
“It allows us to keep up with inflation to fulfill staff union contracts, drugs and supplies increases,” said Mr. Graham. “The two percent increase allows us just to basically remain where we are.”
Mr. Graham said, “My concern and advice to all political parties is that they examine very closely the issue around capacity building in the health care system, including hospitals; the growth in patient needs because of a growing aging population not being properly accounted for in capacity for the future (programs) and recognition that an increase in human resources is needed in the future.”
“I’m pleased at what we have received to get us at a level that we can go through the next year,” said Mr. Graham, “but it will not help us build capacity.”
Mr. Graham continued, “I look forward to productive dialogue during the provincial election campaign. Regardless, who forms the government needs to focus on the health care-hospital support; it cannot be ignored. As a society to ignore this is at our peril. Although some capacity planning has been done, for instance with funding being provided for more beds in long-term care, those are long range solutions. What is needed now is more boots on the ground, support for more human resources and for program growth. And when it comes to access to technology, for example CT scanners, there is no longer a magic bullet. For routine diagnostic procedures hospitals and communities are being left to implement and run these themselves. This is beyond the reach of many communities and hospitals.”
“The government has a role in hospital capacity growth and, for instance, to the district CT scanner campaign through the North East and with the costs involved, having the proper infrastructure and human resources to use them. I’ve helped implement this type of program in previous hospital work and with these type of programs in place a hospital has to be able to afford specialized people to run them. This amounts to about half a million dollars on a hospital operating budget. Without funding how to we put these programs in place,” he added.
