At first it looked like a re-run of 2007’s fight to save mental health services at Lakeridge Health in East Durham. Without dedicated funding, Lakeridge’s mental health services stood between the hospital and its legal obligation to balance its budget.
January 19 the Central East LHIN confirmed their decision to deny Lakeridge the ability to cut these services, stating new funding had been found.
Shortly after the decision, a memo was sent to staff at Lakeridge stating the LHIN had contributed another $4.1 million to the hospital’s base funding. The hospital said it was also expecting additional growth funding to bridge its remaining funding gap. For the first time since amalgamation, Lakeridge is likely to balance its budget.
The additional funding marks an important victory for the community. OPSEU had been part of effort to save Lakeridge’s mental health services.
In 2007 the Ministry had given a clear directive for hospitals to divest themselves of mental health programs that weren’t already receiving dedicated funding from the Ministry.
To its credit, the Central East LHIN stepped in at the time and refused to let Lakeridge divest these services, putting the LHIN at odds with the Ministry.
In November of 2009 Lakeridge presented before the LHIN their deficit reduction strategy. However, they said they could not cut further without putting programs at risk, including mental health, outpatient physiotherapy, the day hospital and a respiratory rehabilitation program. The hospital expressed its desire to maintain these services.
Lakeridge will now amalgamate its respiratory rehabilitation, day hospital, and outpatient physiotherapy at a new Lakeridge Centre of Excellence for Rehabilitation Services to be located in the Whitby hospital site this fall.
OPSEU Diablogue 