The future of health care in Kincardine was the topic of a recent meeting between provincial, municipal, and hospital officials.
Huron-Bruce MPP Carol Mitchell organized the October 9th meeting to discuss possible options for hospital governance, such as a model where the municipality could have representation on the board.
In August, Bayshore Broadcasting News told you that efforts by the Friends of the Kincardine Hospital to de-amalgamate from the South Bruce Grey Health Centre were rejected by the Ministry of Health.
Health Centre President and CEO Paul Davies, along with board chair Dan Gieruszak and South West Local Health Integration Network CEO Michael Barrett were also at the meeting.
Kincardine Mayor Larry Kraemer was also there and he tells us there was a consensus that different ideas for hospital governance and delivery of health care should be explored.
He says it’s still not clear though how far that process will go, but he intends to keep council fully informed of what happens.
Mitchell says the meeting was meant to follow up on a public meeting held by the LHIN in September, and stresses de-amalgamation for Kincardine hospital was not discussed because the government is not in favour of it.
The MPP wants each of the agencies and organizations to address the concerns of the Friends of the Kincardine Hospital, and says she is willing to meet with them in the future, and believes other organizations will too.
The Friends were formed a year ago out of concern that Kincardine’s hospital was losing services and support at the expense of other hospitals in the South Bruce Grey Health Centre.
The South Bruce Grey Health Centre is currently looking at possible redevelopment of the hospital to tie in with the neighbouring medical clinic.
The Friends were not present for last Friday’s meeting.