McGuinty Government Makes Progress With Local Health Intergration Networks
Southeast LHIN Releases First Annual Report

SOUTH EAST – The South East Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) reached another milestone with the release of its first annual report, MPP’s John Gerretsen, Leona Dombrowsky and Ernie Parsons announced today on behalf of Minister of Health and Long-Term Care George Smitherman.

“This is a significant step in delivering better health care to Kingston residents,” said MPP Gerretsen. “Our government sees a health care system driven by community-based care, planned, coordinated and funded in an integrated manner at the community level. The release of the annual report brings us another step closer to realizing that vision.”

The annual reports demonstrate a commitment to transparency and accountability to the people of Ontario. They have been used to create Integrated Health Service Plans (IHSP), which will provide detailed multi-year plans for services in each LHIN. These plans will help direct local decision-making over the next several years and are due to be completed by the end of October. Most LHINs are currently seeking additional community, stakeholder and provider feedback on these plans.

“We’re engaging people in the health care discussion. So far, more than 40,000 Ontarians have provided input to this dialogue,” said Smitherman. “The LHINs continue to engage their communities to ensure we build a health system that’s locally run and better able to respond to local needs.”

In addition to releasing their annual reports and drafting their IHSPs, LHINs are hiring staff to prepare to assume funding, accountability and decision-making roles expected in spring, 2007. The LHINs will begin holding open board meetings starting in November.

“LHINs are all about creating a local health care system that meets the needs of our communities,” said the South East LHIN CEO, Paul Huras . “We’re talking to our communities, building the IHSP, and laying the ground work so that by spring we’ll be ready to assume responsibility for local health care decision-making.”

The Local Health System Integration Act, 2006 (LHSIA) received Royal Assent on March 28, 2006.
The LHSIA will establish an integrated health system to improve the health of Ontarians through
better access to health services, coordinated health care, and effective and efficient management
of the health system at the local level by local health integration networks.

“LHINS are being seen as a positive first step in assuring that the health care needs of our local communities will be addressed at the local level,” said Georgina Thompson, Chair of the South East LHIN. “Our office receives daily requests from our community partners who want to be included in the conversation around the planning, coordination and delivery of their local health care system. As we continue to pursue our mandate, our ability to conduct conversations in a transparent and inclusive manner will be even more crucial.”

“I’ve always believed the best decisions are local decisions, said Ernie Parsons, MPP for Prince Edward, Hastings. “LHINS recognize both the unique characteristics of each area and the need for people to make decisions that directly affect them and their neighbours. I am extremely proud of the LHIN system in Ontario.”

This is just the latest example of the McGuinty government’s commitment to developing an improved health care system. Other initiatives include:

• The creation of 150 Family Health Teams, which will improve access to primary care for more than 2.5 million Ontarians in 112 communities.
  
• The development of the $45 million HealthForce Ontario strategy, including the creation of a marketing and recruitment centre to attract health care providers to Ontario.
• Increasing medical school enrollment by 23% and more than doubling the number of training and assessment positions for international medical graduates from 90 in 2003 to 200 today

Today’s initiative is part of the McGuinty government’s plan for innovation in public health care, building a 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