Hospital activists protest. Orazietti has colonic apocalypse

Folgo DellaVedova and David Harasymiw, co-chairs of the Sault Ste. Marie Health Coalition, organized a protest today outside the office of Sault MPP David Orazietti.

They were expressing concern about the need for the province to do something about the massive bleeding of red ink at Sault Area Hospital, now approaching $15 million.

There were alarmed by the recent report of Ontario's auditor general, lambasting hundreds of millions of dollars in cost overruns at Brampton's new P3 hospital.

They expressed fears that the same thing may be happenng here in Sault Ste. Marie.

They were concerned about the recent decision by SAH's greatest champion, Dr. David Walde, to retire early citing a complete loss of confidence in the hospital administration.

And they talked about the prospect of cutbacks in both programs and staff at our hospital in the new year.

Orazietti responded with a statement accusing the activists of bad timing and bad taste, for demonstrating two days before Christmas.

The full text of Orazietti's statement follows:

************************* Health Coalition continues to attempt to derail new Sault Area Hospital project

McGuinty government providing unprecedented support for Ontario patients and delivering new hospital on time and on budget

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON - (December 23) - Local health coalition protesters in poor timing and in poor taste just two days before Christmas continue to try to derail Sault Ste. Marie’s new public hospital despite the fact that the new Sault Area Hospital (SAH) is being constructed on time and on budget and the McGuinty government has increased health care spending by 37 percent since 2003, David Orazietti, MPP said today.

“The health coalition’s claim that our new hospital is similar to the Tory-financed P3 hospital in Brampton is factually incorrect, irresponsible and amounts to nothing more than politically motivated fear-mongering by members of the NDP federal riding executive,” said Orazietti. “Our government is delivering a new public hospital on time and on budget, built the Northern Ontario Medical School – the first new medical school in Canada in more than 30 years, hired more nurses and reduced wait times in Sault Ste. Marie.”

According to 2003 provincial capital planning of the previous government, the new Sault Area Hospital was scheduled to begin construction in 2009.

However, under the McGuinty government’s Re-New Ontario program, construction was moved forward to 2007.

“Recently Mr. [Tony] Martin put out a press release in which he said he wanted to work together yet he and members of his NDP riding association continue to protest in front of our office – I guess this is his idea of co-operation,” said Orazietti. “While Mr. Martin and his NDP association members stand on the sidewalk I will continue arranging meetings with provincial and federal cabinet ministers to help move much needed community initiatives forward.”

The new SAH is being constructed under the alternative finance and procurement (AFP) model, which compels the developer to provide the financial resources necessary to complete construction of an infrastructure project, on time and on budget, as well as provide ongoing maintenance for the life of the facility.

The hospital board retains control of the facility and runs both medical and clinical services, as is currently the practice.

Under this strategy, an independent value for money (VFM) audit concluded that the new Sault Area Hospital will save taxpayers 18.2 percent as compared to the traditional model.

Key features of Sault Ste. Marie’s new public hospital, include:

- All medical and clinical services will remain public.

- All medical and clinical services will be accessible with OHIP card.

- Number of single bed rooms increased from 19 percent to 50 percent - highest ratio in the province.

- 20 percent larger in space than two current sites.

- 31 percent more clinical space than two current sites combined.

- Emergency unit will be doubled in size.

- New cancer radiation therapy facility.

- Number of rehabilitation beds increased.

- Northern Medical School training space.

Construction of the new $408 million public hospital is part of the McGuinty government’s strategy to improve health care in Sault Ste. Marie.

Other provincial investments to improve local patient care include:

- Nurse Practitioner Clinic – (proposals currently being evaluated).

- $16.5 million increase in base funding to Sault Area Hospital.

- $13.2 million to reduce wait times at SAH.

- $3.7 million for new medical equipment at SAH.

- $2.7 million to open new Algoma Residential Community Hospice (ARCH).

- 48 Interim long-term care beds.

- 12 new convalescent care beds.

- $4.8 million for home care and community support services since 2003.

- $1.3 million for long-term care since 2003.

- Opened Northern Ontario School of Medicine - first new medical school in 30 years - 56 seats.

- Increased provincial funding for Algoma Public Health Unit by 50 percent.

The provincial government has made the tough choice to take on a deficit during this difficult period of economic uncertainty and increase spending to protect health care after working hard to eliminate the $5.5 billion deficit left behind by the past government.

The McGuinty government will continue to increase support for Ontario’s hospitals and the health care sector overall.

In 2003, the province embarked on a plan of unprecedented investments to build a more sustainable health-care system in Ontario.

These investments have led to a number of improvements for Ontario patients including:

- An overall healthcare spending increase of 37 percent since 2003 - the highest level in Ontario history.

- 32 percent increase to hospital funding.

- Province-wide wait times down in almost every category.

- 100 new hospital capital projects.

- Increased medical school spaces by 23 percent - after the NDP decreased them by 13 percent.

- 630,000 more Ontarians with a family doctor.

- Hired 8,000 more nurses - after the NDP ripped up the contracts of 900,000 public employees including nurses and doctors.

- $1.1 billion Aging at Home Strategy.

- 50 percent ($1 billion) increase to long-term care funding.

- $95 million for Community Health Centres.

- Unprecedented chronic disease management strategy.

“It’s clear the health coalition is not interested in proposing solutions or discussing health issues or they would have contacted our office to arrange a meeting - instead they waited until our office had closed during the Christmas holidays to schedule a protest so we re-opened when we were informed through the media,” said Orazietti.

“Perhaps the coalition members may want to insist that our MP deliver more federal funding for health care, since Ontarians receive $773 million less on a per capita basis than every other province when it comes to health transfer payments, but until that happens we will continue to do everything possible with the resources available to support local health care,” Orazietti said.

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