The North West Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) hopes to get input from local residents as to what they want from regional health care during a public meeting slated here Monday, May 29.
Laura Kokocinski, senior director of planning, integration, and community engagement for the North West LHIN, said the meeting, which will run from 7-9 p.m. at the Memorial Sports Centre auditorium, has two aims.
“The first is to get out general information about the North West LHIN because we recognize a lot of people don’t even know what this is,” Kokocinski said in an interview Monday.
The second goal is to garner public input.
Kokocinski noted the North West LHIN, as well as all the other LHINs in the province (of which there are a total of 14), are working on preparing Integrated Health Services Plans (IHSP).
The public meetings being held across the region will allow the North West LHIN to get valuable input into this process.
The first draft of this plan must be completed by October, but it will be reviewed and revised annually—becoming more detailed over time.
Kokocinski said the North West LHIN has been meeting with health-care providers and the public, seeking their input on the following three key questions:
•What is working well in health services in Northwestern Ontario?;
•What are some unmet needs for care and/or services?; and
•What are some opportunities to improve access to health services and the organization and delivery of services?
“We’re very, very interested in getting input from the public, from the citizens of Northwestern Ontario,” stressed Kokocinski. “So we’re conducting sessions all across Northwestern Ontario.
“We’ve already been to five communities to the east of Thunder Bay,” she added. “We’ll be in Thunder Bay this week and next week, and then onto communities to the west of Thunder Bay at the end of this month.”
She noted questionnaires will be distributed at the public meeting, with additional copies available for those who come to the meeting to bring home and give to their family members, friends, neighbours, staff, or co-workers who didn’t attend it.
This questionnaire also is available, in English and French, at www.lhins.on.ca
“We’re trying to get as much input as we possibly can from the public, which will help us to prepare the Integrated Health Services Plan,” said Kokocinski.
“We know that the people of Northwestern Ontario best understand the health care needs of our region,” Gwen DuBois-Wing, CEO for the North West LHIN, said in a press release.
“That is why we are committed to engaging residents and communities on an ongoing basis about local health care needs and priorities.
“Our public meetings are your opportunity to help shape the future of health care services for all the residents of Northwestern Ontario,” DuBois-Wing stressed.
“With the creation of the LHIN, health care decisions will now be made right here in Northwestern Ontario, by the people who live here,” John Whitfield, chair of the North West LHIN, said in a press release.
“The goal of the LHIN is to improve the quality and accessibility of health care for all the residents of Northwestern Ontario,” he added.
The pubic meeting is open to everyone and will include a presentation on the North West LHIN, followed by small group discussions. Assistance is available for any individuals with special needs who would like to attend.
For more information, contact the North West LHIN toll-free at 1-866-907-5446.
The North West LHIN is a new organization designed to plan, co-ordinate, and fund health services in Northwestern Ontario, including hospitals, community care access centres, home care, long-term care homes, community health centres, community support services, and mental health and addiction services.
DuBois-Wing is the CEO while its critical care leader is Dr. Michael Scott.
It is governed by an appointed board of directors, whose members include chair Dr. Whitfield (Thunder Bay), vice-chair Janice Beazley (Fort Frances), secretary Ennis Fiddler (Sandy Lake), Kevin Bahm (Terrace Bay), and Marleen Wong (Kenora).
(Fort Frances Times)
Fort Frances Times
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