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Opinion: When it’s time to vote, remember Liberals' health spending

Glenn Thibeault says the provincial government has done much to improve Ontario’s health care system
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Energy Minister and Sudbury MPP Glenn Thibeault. (File)

By Glenn Thibeault

Recently, Dr. Peter Zalan wrote in Northern Life about hospital funding. Dr. Zalan asked some relevant questions about funding priorities and critical needs. 

I am pleased to report that in each instance our government has made significant investments and progress. We have worked to improve quality of care in Sudbury, from decreasing wait times and increasing the number of health-care professionals working in the community, to investing in health services beyond the hospital, like the recently opened City of Lakes Family Health Team. 

The progress and investments have helped to continue the high-quality care Sudbury patients depend on.

The issue of reducing wait times has long been a priority for our government and after years of Conservative cuts, we have been able to turn the tide. Since 2004, Health Sciences North has received more than $40 million, allowing our community hospital’s hard working staff to perform more than 70,000 additional procedures and cutting wait times in the process. That investment has paid off already at HSN with more than eight of ten high acuity ER patients being seen within target times. 

Alternate Level of Care (ALC) patients require special consideration and support.  These are our family members who (for one reason or another) cannot return home after being treated and are still recovering from an acute illness.  We understand that like many hospitals in Ontario, HSN is seeing high growth in demand due to our aging and growing population. 

We take this issue seriously and that’s why we continue to work to reduce wait times in order to make more services and resources available to ALC patients, as well as boosting funding for hospitals. The Ontario government is increasing investment in hospitals by three per cent, with a total of $518 million being invested this year and next. These new models will offer patients and care providers more choices and put patients first.

When it comes to the issue of adding more medical professionals to our community, it is about having the right level of nurses and doctors, as well as the appropriate types of specialists. 

Today, there are 720 more nurses working in the North East Local Health Integration Network’s area than there were in 2010. We’ve also increased the number of specialists working in long-term care by 306, along with 195 occupational therapists, 30 audiologists and 108 speech-language pathologists. 

Overall, it is an increase of more than 20 per cent in the number of specialists working in our community. This investment in these much-needed health-care positions shows our commitment to listening to the health care experts and providing support where it will mean the most to our community.

Dr. Zalan reminded everyone to think about health care during the upcoming election, and I couldn’t agree more.  

Think about the government that invested $4.6 million to help bring a much-needed PET scanner to HSN and $1.6 million to run it each and every year.

Think about all the patients who won’t have to travel south to get cancer treatment. They will be able to stay home in our community and focus on what matters most. 

Think about the government that will invest an additional $10 million in St. Joseph’s Continuing Care of Sudbury.  

Think about the patients who will be cared for close to home, near the people they love.
Think about the government that added 183 more doctors to our area.

Think about all the parents who will now have a family doctor to turn to when their children are sick

Think about the government that supports addiction treatment with more than $22 million and Mental Health Funding with more than $66 million.  

Think about all those individuals who will now have more places to turn to when they need help the most.

Think about all those things when you decide who would be the best MPP to deliver on Sudbury’s priorities.

Glenn Thibeault is the MPP for Sudbury and Ontario’s energy minister.


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