CORNWALL – MPP Jim McDonell was in attendance at the announcement of new funding for high-needs patients at Cornwall Community Hospital this morning.

“All patients in Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry deserve access to the best healthcare our tax dollars can buy” – MPP McDonell stated. “It is important to invest in care for high-needs patients in order to reduce pressure on our emergency rooms and home care, however the Local Health Integration Network continues to ignore our region’s need for family physicians who could provide preventive care throughout the community. Many of our residents don’t have a family doctor and local physicians have long waiting lists. Meanwhile, the Government’s policies prevent local medical graduates from returning home to practice – they just won’t fund them. This is unacceptable”.

Recently, the new Champlain LHIN Board Chair, Mr Jean-Pierre Boisclair, appeared before a Committee in Toronto for a review of his appointment. MPP McDonell questioned him on the ways to address our region’s specific health challenges, including service cuts to home care recipients at the Champlain CCAC, Long-Term Care wait times and access to specialist medical services.

“Mr Boisclair is looking forward to his new role and I wish him well” MPP McDonell commented. “However, the Government is more focused on reallocating scarce resources where there is already a shortage rather than implementing a much-needed expansion of health provision throughout the region. Funding cuts, or the erosion of current funding by inflation, are putting several services at risk at both CCH and Winchester District Memorial Hospital. Our residents need access to a primary care physician, efficient medical transportation, adequate home care and access to specialized medical services close to home. The Liberal Government and the Local Heath Integration Network are failing on all these counts. Today’s announcement is, of course welcome. However it is but one of the many urgent improvements that need to be implemented in the Champlain region.”