The delivery of public health in Ontario is on the verge of a large overhaul.
The province has announced plans to deliver better health outcomes, and part of that plan might mean merging public health units.
Recently, at least three public health boards in the Kingston, Ont., region got the go-ahead to explore what a merger might look like.
The public health units cover the area from Trenton to Cornwall and north to Smiths Falls, and have started exploring the possibility of merging.
“The ultimate goal of this transition is actually to strengthen public health,” says Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington medical officer of health Dr. Piotr Oglaza.
Dr. Oglaza says talking to the neighbouring health units as part of the ‘voluntary merger’ process is the smart way to go.
“This process being voluntary and led locally and fully supported by the province is what enables us to minimize any negative impacts on services during the transition,” he adds.
KFL&A, along with its counterparts to the west and east, have greenlit discussions on possible mergers, and the many forms that could take.
“Just looking into it to see if we can get something that better serves the residents of Prince Edward County, then we should be taking a look at that,” says Dr. Ethan Toumishey, medical officer of health for Hastings Prince Edward.
Under the province’s voluntary merger plan, one-time transition funding would be provided to public health agencies, along with access to a three-year merger support fund if public health agencies do proceed.
Any merger would still require the approval of the public health boards involved.
The province is set to begin identifying merger candidates in December.
Dr. Oglaza says there are a number of reports dating back to 2003, following the initial SARS crisis, that support merging some public health units.
“By creating a critical mass of an agency that serves larger populations, that becomes more resilient, more able to respond to emergencies, there’s less issues with retention/recruitment,” adds Dr. Oglaza.
What that critical mass is will also form ongoing conversations with the province.
Dr. Linna Li, the medical officer of health for Leeds, Grenville and Lanark Public Health Unit, says more guidance from the province is coming.
“Whether they have sort of preferences or things they would like to see, they may have things in mind that they find important, so understanding what that would be,” says Dr. Li.
They’re all factors in shaping the upcoming conversations to determine if a merger is in the best interest of the populations served by public health.
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