Report from Walden-CAN Health Services Task Force- Defining Our Role, for Jan.10 Meeting

Report from Walden CAN – Health Services Task Force- Defining Our Role…for Jan.10/06 W-CAN Meeting…

Summary Dec.13/05 Meeting of Walden CAN – Health services Task Force
7pm @ former Town of Walden offices
Present: Richard Bois-Chairman, Gwen Doyle-Secretary, Art Neufeld, Darwin Brunne, Brent Battistelli, Paul Doyle, Forbes Stoodley Absent , Jim Palys

I. Brief overview by Richard Bois:
a. Process of establishing the Walden Can
b. Issues identified by the participants @ community meetings: Nov.1, 15, 26 & 29/05

II. Overview of ‘Status of Primary Health Care Services in Walden’ :
...As we understand it – based on 2 ‘Unscheduled’ Community Health Services Meetings: Nov.1, 15 /05

a. Short-Term Issues facing Lively Medical Centre:

month-to-month lease; need for improvement to building; City policy to not pay funds towards privately-owned building; difficulty recruiting FD; our FDs Feb. proposal re- FHT – not approved by province

b. Long-term Proposal re- FHT @ Town offices as part of Dr. McKibbon’s ‘City of Lakes 4 FHTs’:
‘model’ approved by province; not seen the plan or time-line; payment plan is complex( totally different form other alternative payment plans);paperless office; FD( young & old) have problems with FHTs…why?

c. Letter sent by Dr. Koop to City( read by Terry Kett @ Nov.29/05 Walden CAN Mtg)
...Seeking clarification of City policy re- recruitment funds/signing bonuses re- Lively Medical Centre *Decision pending


d. Report to Council from Catherine Matheson, Mgr. Community Development:
re- Status of City of Lakes 4 FHTs:

... Highlighted the lack of progress in setting up the 4 FHTs because of need for approval @ provincial level·

a.Request for development grant to: hire a consultant for 1 month to prepare financial plan & hire a project manager for pre-operational stage…submitted Oct./05 * Waiting for approval·
b.Business Plan is pending- year 1 business plan & draft 2-5yrs·
c.Pre-operational Stage is pending- set up @ 4 sites in limbo

Many questions were raised: How much input from our FD? Why FD (young & old) don’t want to be part of FHT? Need more information re- FHT ‘model’ & how it impacts on health services in Walden now & in future? etc

III What is our Role? ... Working on behalf of the community re- their #1 concern – the status of health services in Walden

a. Short-Term Issues:

Gather ‘first-hand’ information from KEY PLAYERS:
... New FDs, our 2 FD, Dr. McKibbon, Ray Hunt @ Ministry of Health, Catherine Matheson etcb.

b. Long-Term Issues re- FHT @ Town offices:
Could be other possible sites
Issues are beyond our control re- where Doctors will work

* CONCERNS expressed by Committee:

1. We can gather information & become very educated but where will it go?
As a sub-committee of Walden CAN maybe after everything all we can do is educate the public so that they can make informed decisions about their options for future health care
2. We’ve (Walden) has followed the process @ the political level many times
…it’s like walking around a track…Plans never get done & this time there is no band aid solution 3. We hope the Walden CAN & Health Services Task Force can get the parties together …work @ improving communication between ALL PLAYERS.

III What first-hand information do we need & who do we want to meet & in what order? After much discussion it was decided to set up a series of meetings beginning first week of Jan./06:

IV.Some of possible questions to ask @ Jan. Meetings:
1. New Family Doctors:
What do they really want? Real needs? Concerns? What could be inducements? Drawbacks? Suggestions re- recruitments tactics. Why don’t want to be part of FHT? Why not Walden?

2. Dr. Koop & Dr. Bayly:
Status re- recruitment of FD? City’s response to Letter? After hours Clinics? Part-time Drs/NOM staff? Fact or fiction? Status of lease? Clarity City’s ‘bridging’ funds? What was your proposal re- FHTs? Why are you opposed to Dr. McKibbon’s FHT?

3. Dr. Chris McKibbon re- City of Lakes 4 FHTs:
What is your ‘model’ for Walden FHT? Funding plan…why don’t FDs seem to like it? How much input from our FDs? Interim plan re- Walden health services? Steps in process re- Walden FHT?

4. Ray Hunt, Senior Manager, North & Family Health Team Implementation, Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care:
What’s going to happen in Walden-short-term & long-term? Who decides what model is best for a community? When will approval re- City of Lakes request for ‘development grant’ be approved? What is role of NP in Walden FHT model?(pre-operational stage)How will community input be included?

5. Catherine Matheson, Community Development Manager- City of Sudbury: Recruitment Policy @ City/signing bonuses & funding policies re- Lively Medical Centre/Walden? How many of 30,000 people without FD live in Walden?Has City requested additional funding for more NP( re-allocation of ‘vacant’ NP positions)- as part of 4 FHTs? To work now in under serviced areas?