The Nepean-Carleton Provincial Liberal Association (N-C.P.L.A.

News Release July 12, 2012

Ontario Liberals Improving Health Care in Nepean-Carleton

Seniors and families benefit from more doctors, shorter wait times, and better services locally

Families and seniors in Nepean-Carleton are getting better health care services because of Dalton McGuintys commitment to investing in health care including shorter wait times, stronger hospitals, and improved access to primary care with more doctors, and nurses, family health teams, and nurse-practitioner lead clinics. Health care investments in Nepean-Carleton have made a world of difference to the families, seniors and residents in our community, said Patricia Pepper, President of the Nepean-Carleton Provincial Liberal Association (N-C.P.L.A.). Today, we have more doctors and nurses and better access to local health care than under any previous government. Investments at the Queensway Carleton Hospital (QCH), our local hospital, are helping with expansion projects, buying new equipment and implementing an innovative fresh food program. Were seeing results at the QCH including: A new Ambulatory Care Centre for day-patients that will handle 40,000 patients per year; A new MRI machine that will add 2,100 scans per year; and A $100 M investment to build a brand new wing that will include 3 new operating rooms and 15 more dialysis stations. We created Family Health Teams (FTH) and the Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) so that local communities have better access to an effective and efficient health care system. Nepean-Carleton has two Family Health Teams, which bring together 31 doctors and 16 health care professionals providing care to more than 34,000 patients as well as providing access to a doctor to an additional 11,000 patients. We are also adding three million more hours of personal support worker care, helping 90,000 more seniors get the care they need to live comfortably in their own homes, said Pepper. Thats good for families, and it helps our health care system by taking pressure off hospitals, long-term care homes and emergency rooms.

Creating jobs, strengthening the economy, and eliminating the deficit will help us to make better and stronger investments in health care services that Ontarians and Nepean-Carleton families depend on. This involves making thoughtful choices to get out of certain sectors like horse racing and government real estate. We will also move forward with fiscally responsible policies like: Stopping scheduled corporate tax reductions and asking top-earners to invest more in our province; Addressing labour costs, with zero pay increase for MPPs, Executives, Doctors and Teachers; and Consulting on a legislation to make public service pensions more affordable for taxpayers and sustainable for plan members.

Part of our plan includes modernizing fees paid to doctors as part of a nation-wide health strategy. Changes in technology allow for procedures to be completed in less time, so it makes sense for taxpayers to pay less in fees. Every Ontarian knows the value of our doctors and appreciate the services that they and other health care professionals provide to keep us healthy, said Patricia Pepper. As a mother, grandmother, and a senior, I know how important health care services will be to the well-being of my family and so many others in our community, she added. MPP Lisa MacLeod has characterized our efforts to negotiate lower fees and more savings as a vitriolic attack 1 at a recent community meeting. Once again, we see how hyper-partisan and politically motivated her comments can be, noted Pepper. The P.Cs and MacLeods entire approach has been to criticize and divide us on this issue by stifling much needed debate with respect to doctor fees, she concluded. The big picture is that since the height of the Recession, Ontario has created 319,000 net new jobs, more than any other province. We have the lowest surgical wait times in Canada and our students rank among the best in the world. None of this happens by accident its the result of strong fiscal policy, smart government investments and the hardworking Ontarians who make it all happen. 30 -

Contact Information: Patricia Pepper, President Nepean-Carleton Provincial Liberal Association 613-864-9821 e: nepeancarletonpla@gmail.com

http://www.emcbarrhaven.ca/20120705/news/Docs+advise+against+cuts+to+health+care+at+town+hall