HAMILTON — The Ontario government is investing an additional $30 million to expand pediatric health services in the Hamilton region to connect children and youth to more convenient and high-quality care closer to home. This is part of the Ontario government’s recent additional investment of $330 million each year in paediatric health services at hospitals, clinics and community-based health care facilities across Ontario.
“We’re giving our health care partners the tools they need to quickly connect more children the lifesaving care they need closer to home,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “Our record investments are expanding everything from emergency care to mental health supports to ensure families can access the care they need now, and for years to come.”
Started the week off at McMaster Children’s Hospital to announce our government is investing $30M to connect #Hamilton families to pediatric care faster and closer to home.
Learn more about how Ontario is expanding access to pediatric care: https://t.co/Jw26UKFS5H pic.twitter.com/wucKORxvth
— Sylvia Jones (@SylviaJonesMPP) November 27, 2023
In the Hamilton region, the $30 million in additional funding will support programs and services at Hamilton Health Sciences’ McMaster Children’s Hospital and West Lincoln Memorial Hospital and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, including:
- Hiring more paediatric surgical staff to increase the number of surgeries for children at McMaster Children’s Hospital.
- New life-saving technologies like the tele-resuscitation program that uses two-way high-definition video conferencing to connect physicians at McMaster Children’s Hospital with community partners to provide faster access to emergency care.
- Emergency Department diversion programs to reduce Emergency Department volumes at McMaster Children’s Hospital and ensure children receive timely care.
- Reducing wait times and increasing access to both specialized psychological and mental health supports for kids with cancer and eating disorder programs at McMaster Children’s Hospital.
- Increasing access to children’s rehabilitation services, including occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech and language services at Ron Joyce Children’s Health Centre at McMaster Children’s Hospital and Affiliated Services for Children and Youth.
- Increasing access to reproductive health, pregnancy and childbirth services at West Lincoln Memorial Hospital, as well as connecting rural families to more postpartum care at home and in their community.
“Our government’s significant investment in expanding pediatric care across Ontario, including in Hamilton, demonstrates our dedication to the safety and well-being of children and youth,” said Michael Parsa, Minister of Children, Community, and Social Services. “This funding will reduce waitlists, improve access to clinical assessments, early intervention, and children’s rehabilitation services, such as speech-language pathology, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy. Together, we are ensuring that families receive the specialized care their children require when and where they need it.
This consistent and stable annual funding increase will ensure hospitals in the Hamilton region have the people, resources and technology to improve access to paediatric care and prevent backlogs. Over 100 high-priority initiatives are being quickly implemented across Ontario to ensure children and youth in every corner of the province can connect to emergency care, surgeries, ambulatory services, diagnostic imaging, and mental health services.
Through Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, the Ontario government is providing significant financial support to hospitals, clinics and communities to improve how they deliver paediatric care – ensuring Ontarians of all ages can access care easier, faster, and closer to home in their communities.
Quick Facts
- In 2020, the government released Roadmap to Wellness, our plan to build a world-class mental health and addictions system.
- In addition to investing in existing services, Roadmap to Wellness investments are supporting the introduction of new innovative programs to begin to address wait lists and times and ensure access to timely and appropriate services.
- For example, Ontario recently expanded One Stop Talk, a virtual walk-in mental health counselling service for children, youth and families. Once fully implemented, it will provide immediate, low barrier access to brief counselling services through a single virtual access point from anywhere in the province.
- The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services funds children’s rehabilitation services for children and youth with special needs, which include speech and language pathology, occupational therapy and physiotherapy delivered in schools and community locations. The Preschool Speech and Language program provides assessments and services for children with speech and language difficulties and disorders from birth to transition to school.
Quotes
“We recognize the Government of Ontario for its historic and transformational investment to increase service at McMaster Children’s Hospital. This remarkable support is closing many of the critical gaps within the pediatric system. Our skilled healthcare professionals will now be supported so we can reduce wait times and improve access across the spectrum of kids’ care. It’s a huge step forward in ensuring that every child can get the care that they need.”
– Bruce Squires
President, McMaster Children’s Hospital, and Vice President, Women & Children’s Health, Hamilton Health Sciences
“Our government is committed to strengthening the future of Ontario communities by investing in children and healthcare. This investment in our region will help ensure we are doing everything we can to take care of Hamilton’s most precious and vulnerable people, our children.”
– Neil Lumsden
MPP for Hamilton East – Stoney Creek
“Our government continues to take bold and innovative action to build a stronger healthcare system for all Ontarians, including children and youth in the Hamilton area. This significant investment will help ensure Hamilton families can continue to connect to world-class care in our community, for years to come.”
– Donna Skelly
MPP for Flamborough–Glanbrook
“Children, and their families, need comprehensive and integrated care that they can access close to home to meet their needs. This investment helps to support high-impact initiatives that will enhance the Hamilton region’s ability to build access and improve capacity for the community.”
– Dr. Chris Simpson
Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Executive, Ontario Health
SOURCE Province of Ontario
Leave a Reply