Brampton hospital operating at 585% above its funding
Published October 31, 2019 at 7:30 pm
While most Canadians are generally happy with the country’s healthcare system, Brampton residents have been dealt a tough (and unfair) hand when it comes medical facilities, and they’re rightfully
While most Canadians are generally happy with the country’s healthcare system, Brampton residents have been dealt a tough (and unfair) hand when it comes medical facilities, and they’re rightfully worried about obtaining a much needed new hospital.
In a meeting on October 29, 2019, Andrea Horwath, NDP leader of Ontario’s Official Opposition said that “Brampton’s Peel Memorial Urgent Care Centre is operating at a 587% volume compared to what it is funded for.”
This statement means that for every patient the centre is funded to care for, almost five other patients are looking for care. This is indicative that the centre is operating at 585% above what it is funded for.
While long wait times in emergency rooms are common across the province, Brampton’s healthcare situation is indeed unique—and residents have often complained that it feels their needs are overlooked.
Horwath also stated that the premier knew about the underfunded hospitals and questioned why he has continued to underfund the hospitals in this province, “taking things from bad to worse in Ontario.”
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She has pointed out that while the province has announced investments in hospitals across the province, Brampton—which is where the term “hallway healthcare” was coined—has been continuously overlooked.
In a meeting on Wednesday, October 31, 2019, Horwath continued to question premier Doug Ford about the health care funding.
“This week, Ontario families have heard some stark news about the state of their hospitals, long-term care and the lack of credibility of the premier’s promise to end hallway medicine by summer,” she said, adding that they also learned that hospitals in Brampton are routinely operating at over 100% capacity and that the urgent care centre receives 587% more patients that they are funded to care for.
“From the independent financial accountability office, they learned the wait for long term care beds will grow longer and that hallway medicine is going to grow much worse until things change.”
Horwath also brought up that between July 2018 and August 2019, the government only created 21 beds and that during that same time, the waitlist grew by 2,800 people.
Horwath acknowledged that the liberals left the health care system “hanging by a thread.”
“From ambulance shortages to bigger waitlists for long term care, to more hospital overcrowding; and now we’re heading into a terrible flu season which is a recipe for disaster.” she said.
“The FAO says hallways medicine is going to keep getting worse. The wait for long term care which grew by 78% under the liberals is going to keep growing longer.”
According to Horwath’s statement, they must stop the cuts and make the investment needed to tackle hallway medicine in order to see it end in time for next summer.
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