Several rural public health offices will not be closing until after a planned program review, following a decision by the board of health.
During Wednesday’s meeting of the board of health, the board voted to keep several offices set for closure in March open, until a planned review of their new Rural Services Delivery Strategy can be completed in September 2026.
The decision came after several deputations from local communities who were concerned about potential program cuts and reductions coming with the planned closure of the offices. The offices set for closure in March include eight offices that the organization leases in Trenton, Bancroft, Napanee, Picton, Perth, Gananoque, Kemptville and Almonte.
Medical Officer of Health Dr. Piotr Oglaza gave a presentation on the rural services delivery strategy during the same meeting. The strategy was described as serving people rather than locations. In order to achieve this, there was a focus on mobile outreach units to provide services to people where they are, and leveraging technology to improve services.
Part of the plan for mobile outreach is to use algorithms to determine optimal locations to offer services from, such as vaccine clinics. The algorithm considers several criteria including demographics, population density, distance to roads, and health equity.
The plan also mentions using new testing methods to quickly complete tests for infectious diseases.
After the deputations and presentation, the board decided to both endorse the rural delivery plan in principle, while also keeping the branch offices open until the planned review is complete.
