For Immediate Release
April 08, 2006

MCGUINTY GOVERNMENT ADDRESSES ALC PRESSURES IN KINGSTON WITH MULTI-PRONGED STRATEGY
38 Interim Beds Awarded, RFP for Additional Beds, Home Care Service Expanded

KINGSTON - Today the McGuinty government announced its intention to proceed as quickly as possible with a Request for Proposals (RFP) for additional long-term care beds for the Kingston area.  The number of beds will be based on local needs and will be determined before the RFP is issued.
 
"Today's announcement is about more than additional beds, it's about delivering quality health care to residents in our community," said John Gerretsen, MPP for Kingston and the Islands.  "Our government is taking the necessary steps to improve patient care by working with health care providers like the CCAC and Kingston General Hospital to ensure that people in this community receive the best possible health care in the environment that suits them the best."

The opening of the long-term care beds is part of a government plan to improve access to services for people in hospital who need other forms of care. The plan also includes:

• The allocation of 38 interim long-term care beds at Briargate Retirement Living Centre to expand services to people who no longer need hospital care
• Providing enhanced home care services through the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) to eligible clients until the 38 interim long-term care beds open
• Kingston General Hospital and the local CCAC will develop a protocol to ensure that patients who need long-term care beds get prompt access
• The consolidation of critical care services in one area of the Kingston General Hospital over the next six months

 "Our government is making this investment so that people in Kingston can receive the health care they need in the setting that suits them the best," said Minster of Health and Long-Term Care George Smitherman. "We're working with our health care partners across various sectors to resolve this complex issue with both short-term and long-term solutions. The result will be that we will make the best use of health care resources while freeing up our hospitals to provide the kind of care they are designed to deliver."

"This announcement is great news for local health care service providers and patients of Kingston and the surrounding communities," said Leona Dombrowsky, MPP for Hastings, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington. "Our government is committed to ensuring that Ontarians continue to have access to high quality health services, such as those provided in hospitals and long-term care homes."

Today's initiative is part of the McGuinty government's plan to build a health care system that delivers on three priorities - keeping Ontarians healthy, reducing wait times and providing better access to doctors and nurses.

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For more information contact:
John Gerretsen, MPP
(613) 547-2385