Ontario’s Minister of Health and Long Term Care says the government is committed to, not only keeping Trenton Memorial Hospital open, but to making it thrive as a community healthcare hub.
During a visit to TMH Friday, Dr. Eric Hoskins says the province will increase funding to Quinte Health Care by $4million this year with a good chunk of that towards shortening wait times and improving access to care.
Dr Hoskins also announced a “pause” on moving day surgeries from Trenton to Belleville General, until the TMH Implementation Committee has finalized its report.
The committee has been tasked with deciding what types of services would be included in the hospital’s vacant space and how to design the area.
Hoskins was asked about the possibility of including a veteran’s care centre at the hub and says at this point, all options are on the table.
He credited the work of the implementation committee, which is putting together the report, as well as the hard work of other community groups, like Our TMH.
Meanwhile, the head of Quinte Health Care was, naturally, pleased with the increase in funding.
CEO Mary Clare Egberts tells Quinte News, it’s too early to tell exactly where all of that money will go, but it will definitely help to add some stability to operations.
Members of the Our TMH group, who were at the announcement also feel their work has partially paid off, now that the province has decided to hold moving day surgeries from Trenton Memorial to Belleville General.
Our TMH’s Betty Clost also sits on the implementation committee and says the money is good news, but it’s the commitment to the hospital that’s most important.
Meanwhile, the opposition MPP who represents the other three hospitals in Quinte Health Care says he’s pleased the people of Trenton are seeing a commitment, but the money isn’t enough.
Prince Edward-Hastings MPP Todd Smith says $4 million is nothing, when the province has cut $25 million in funding over the past five years.
Overall, the province is investing close to $52 billion dollars in healthcare in 2016/17, with $345 million to publicly funded hospitals, $250 million to expand home care capacity and an investment of $130 million in cancer care, among others.