Just in time for flu season, a boost in funding for Sault Area Hospital

Stating Ontario’s new Progressive Conservative government is delivering on its healthcare spending promises, Sault MPP Ross Romano announced Sault Area Hospital will be one of many across the province to benefit from $90 million in new healthcare funding.

Specifically, SAH will receive $1.72 million to fund 16 beds for a full 12 months, retroactive from April 2018 to April 2019, in anticipation of a surge in admissions.

Currently, those 16 beds are funded for only five months.

“This is going to go a long way with respect to the ongoing struggle we have here at Sault Area Hospital, with the high capacity pressures that we have. This will help, especially as flu season is on the way,” Romano told reporters after making the announcement at SAH Friday.

“This is part of the $90 million announcement our government recently made with respect to surge funding. This is new funding in addition to the $187 million that was proposed by the previous government. We’ve met that $187 million and we’ve exceeded it by another $90 million, so we now have $277 million with this funding,” Romano said.

Funding those beds for 12 months a year, on an ongoing basis, is a possibility, the Sault MPP said.

“At the conclusion of the year, if the demand continues to exist, then it will be something we would look at and I would be optimistic Sault Area Hospital would still be in a position to receive that funding, provided those capacity pressures and issues continue to exist.”

In regard to healthcare, the PCs campaigned with a pledge to end ‘hallway medicine’ across Ontario, a reference to patients lying in beds in the hallways of crowded emergency departments, hospitals at overcapacity.

“It’s one of our biggest priorities. It requires so much attention. It’s been tough for healthcare and we realize as a party and as a government that Sault Ste. Marie has been very much left out in the cold for the last 15 years,” Romano said, taking a jab at the previous Liberal government.

While pleased with Friday’s funding announcement, Ron Gagnon, SAH president and CEO, said SAH’s needs are “multi-faceted.”

Gagnon said there needs to be additional funding for long term care and mental health and addictions programs, adding “I know Ross is a supporter of that.”

“We would all like everything to be (funded) tomorrow but that’s not the reality of this world, but I know he’s going to be a staunch advocate for this community because he’s already demonstrated that,” Gagnon said.

The Doug Ford government has also made promises to spend more on mental health and addictions and long term care.

“All of those, I think, will come together and I know this organization (SAH) is well positioned and ready to work very closely with the government to make sure those types of investments have the impact we need in this community,” Gagnon said.