LHIN Recommendation shows it isn’t Local

WOODSTOCK- Ernie Hardeman, Oxford MPP, said that the recommendation by the Southwest LHIN to move long-term care beds to London despite the fact that their numbers show Oxford already has less beds per capita shows the organization is neither local nor objective.

“If the South West LHIN were truly about providing quality local health care they would be looking at their own numbers and recommending the 80 long-term care beds from Bonnie Brae stay in Oxford,” said Hardeman. “We currently have 5 less long-term care beds per 1,000 seniors than London/Middlesex and by the LHIN’s own numbers that gap will increase to more than 16 beds if the transfer is approved.”

On March 12 Michael Barrett CEO of the South west LHIN issued a letter to the Minister of Health recommending the transfer of 80 beds from Bonnie Brae to London. In the letter he acknowledged that Oxford has a higher than average percentage of seniors. He also attached figures showing the number of long-term care beds per 1,000 people over age 74 which show that Oxford is already below the service level in London. (see graph for gap, source document attached)

*This includes the transfer of 80 beds from Oxford to London.
Source: South West LHIN

“This recommendation makes it clear that the so-called Local Health Integration Network isn’t actually local decision making,” said Hardeman. “If their preference in these decisions is to move all the services to cities then it will seriously threaten the future of rural health care and we cannot allow that.”

The Progressive Conservative Caucus has repeatedly raised concerns about the LHINs including the fact that they are not truly local, are unelected and unaccountable. Currently the South West LHIN does not have any representation from Oxford.

“The Minister of Health has heard from the heads of our hospitals, from residents and from me that moving these beds will have a negative effect on long-term care and health care,” said Hardeman. “I hope that she will ignore the LHIN’s recommendation and instead make this decision based on those who know our local health care and the numbers which clearly show Oxford cannot afford to lose 80 long-term care beds.”

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For more information, contact:
Ernie Hardeman, MPP Oxford
(416) 325-1239