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Hamilton Spectator
12-05-2025
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
Port Colborne residents to rally at Queen's Park in push to save urgent care services
With petitions in hand and a strong community backing, Port Colborne residents are preparing to travel to Queen's Park next week to demand the province protect local health-care services, including the urgent care centre at the former hospital. The day of action on May 14 is being organized with support of the Port Colborne Health Coalition and the Niagara Health Coalition. Residents are expected to board buses to Toronto to delivers thousands of petition signatures to the provincial legislature. At the heart of the campaign is a call for the government to halt cuts to urgent care and diagnostic services, and to support the development of a permanent health-care hub in the community. 'This was a big issue during the election,' said Jeff Burch, the NDP MPP for Niagara Centre, which includes Port Colborne. 'With this new parliament, we're just reinforcing that the voices of people in Port Colborne are heard and that's through petitions and people getting on the bus and letting the government know how strongly the people of Port Colborne feel.' Concerns have been growing not just in Port Colborne, but across much of Niagara in response to Niagara Health's regional redevelopment plan, which includes consolidating emergency and acute care services at three hospital sites. These sites would be located in St. Catharines, Welland and Niagara Falls, with the urgent care centres in Port Colborne and Fort Erie being closed. While Niagara Health has maintained the move is intended to improve efficiency and care, critics, including Burch and local coalitions, argue that it leaves smaller communities behind. 'The people of Port Colborne want to have a health-care hub of services that are there for people in their communities,' Burch said. 'The petitions that we're bringing to Queen's Park is to let the government know what the people want in the health care.' The City of Port Colborne has conducted consultations and surveys with residents on their thoughts regarding the possible closure of its urgent care centre, and the feedback echoes what Burch has heard throughout his campaign: that health care should be kept local. The issue also played a role in the recent federal election, which saw Port Colborne become part of the new Niagara South riding. The riding is now represented by Conservative MP Fred Davies, a former regional councillor for Port Colborne. While health care falls under provincial jurisdiction, Davies has publicly supported keeping the urgent care centre open as has his opponent, Liberal Vance Badawey. On April 10, at the Niagara South all-candidates forum, Davies voiced his support for the urgent care services to remain open in Fort Erie. 'We can't often get physicians that are your primary physician to be able to work in a hospital, we need to re-evaluate those rules,' he prefaced. 'Once we do that, we can bring more physicians into our community and Fort Erie deserves a 24-7 urgent care.' Davies' support for urgent care marks a rare point of contrast with his provincial counterparts. 'The federal and provincial Conservatives are not exactly aligned on every issue, so (I am) hoping to have a dialogue with Fred,' Burch said. 'I hope that he would support the urgent care in Port Colborne; the Conservative opponent I ran against in the (provincial) election (Port Colborne Mayor Bill Steele) was in favour of the Niagara Health plan, and I won every poll in Port Colborne.' Burch said his office is co-ordinating with the Port Colborne and Niagara Health Coalitions to support their efforts at Queen's Park. While the coalitions are organizing independently, he remains a strong supporter of their push to keep emergency services accessible. 'I'm certainly welcoming them to Queen's Park and doing anything that I can to facilitate their visit and if I can help them in any way to meet with ministers, then I'll certainly do that,' he said. Organizers expect a strong turnout for the May 14 Day of Action and hope it will send a clear message to Queen's Park: communities like Port Colborne deserve access to local, reliable health care. 'The people spoke pretty clearly in the election and they're speaking clearly next week,' Burch said. 'It's about tax dollars, that's what they want, they want health care close to home with their community.'
CBC
29-04-2025
- Health
- CBC
Niagara region hospitals aim for every newborn and child without a family doctor to go home with one
Newborns in Niagara region without access to a family doctor will be connected to those accepting patients through a new hospital program. Called a "pediatric pathway," Niagara Health said it also created the program to help children who are hospitalized, and those with complex care needs, access primary care. When many infants and kids, under 18-years-old, leave the hospital, they don't have a family doctor to support them, said Niagara Health in a news release Tuesday. Under the new program, they and their parents or guardians will be provided with information about physicians and community health centres where they can become patients. And for children with complex care needs, pediatricians at the hospital will work closely with the family physician to continue providing support. "This pathway is about making sure no child falls through the cracks," said Dr. Madan Mohan Roy, chief of pediatrics at Niagara Health, in the statement. "Our goal is to ensure that every pediatric patient, regardless of their situation, has access to continuous, community-based care after they are discharged." Family doctor shortage linked to measles outbreak Children with a family doctor have better access to vaccines, developmental monitor, early detection of health concerns and a contact to support them with everyday health needs, Niagara Health said. It also helps families avoid "unnecessary hospital visits." About 2.5 million people in Ontario do not have a family doctor, including roughly 360,000 children according to research in 2024 and 2023, respectively, by the Ontario College of Family Physicians. If a baby is born to parents with a family doctor, he or she could become that doctor's patient. But if the parents don't have a family doctor, the baby could also be without. The family doctor shortage has contributed to the measles outbreak in Ontario, with many cases in the Grand Erie region, according to local experts. The region includes the City of Brantford and counties of Haldimand, Norfolk and Brant. "It's availability. It's the family doctor crisis. It's the not being able to get vaccines at a time that works with their work schedule," Dawn Bowdish, a professor of medicine at McMaster University, told CBC's The Current in March. "The Canadian situation is one in which outright refusal is actually comparatively rare. It's access and availability and convenience that tend to be the drivers of this fallen vaccination rates." Doctors accepting new patients There are currently more than 30 family doctors in the Niagara region accepting new patients, said Dr. Jennifer Robert, chief of primary care, said in the news release. "That's an important opportunity many may not be aware of," she said. "By connecting community members with these providers, we're not only improving individual health outcomes — we're supporting a stronger, more connected healthcare system." Physicians who accept new patients through the new hospital program so far include four in St. Catharines, three in Welland and one in Fort Erie, as well as through community health centres across the Niagara region. Niagara Health said it is looking to create a similar program for adults.
CBC
16-02-2025
- Health
- CBC
Keep urgent care in smaller communities, Niagara residents tell Ontario party leaders
Social Sharing For Jude Campbell, a Fort Erie, Ont., resident with heart trouble, "it's just scary," knowing the closest emergency room is at least a 30-minute drive away. There is no hospital in Fort Erie, only an urgent care centre with limited hours. Niagara Health plans to close it by 2028. In 2023, hospital network Niagara Health reduced the operating hours at its urgent care centres (UCCs) in Fort Erie and nearby Port Colborne, going from all-day operation, to 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., with patient intake ending at 8 p.m. Campbell, 78, says the decision effectively left residents without timely access to care at night, because whereas they could once go to the UCC, now ERs elsewhere in Niagara are the only options. The changes were "to help maintain capacity" at ERs in Welland, St. Catharines and Niagara Falls, Niagara Health said in an email. But many Niagara residents feel the changes have left them without adequate level of service they need — and are hoping to be heard by those running in the provincial election. "It's very sad. You work your whole life and pay all your taxes and are entitled to these necessities. They're being taken away and no one is listening," said Margaret Unruh, who also lives in the Niagara Region. Campbell and Unruh are members of Fort Erie health care SOS, an independent citizen's group that formed to oppose that decision and advocate for health services in the Niagara town. They spoke to CBC Hamilton, alongside fellow Fort Erie health care SOS members Barbara Wilkinson, in light of the election campaign underway. Hospital network said closures needed to preserve emergency care When Niagara Health made the changes to the two UCCs, they were seeing "an average of one patient every three hours" at night, while maintaining staff "urgently needed to keep our [ERs] open." UCCs are different from ERs in that they treat injuries or illnesses such as strains, sprains, minor cuts or burns that cannot wait for a scheduled doctor's appointment, the hospital network says on its website. ERs are for serious and life-threatening conditions. Ultimately, Niagara Health plans to close the Fort Erie UCC when it opens a new hospital in Niagara Falls in 2028. In a February opinion column posted to the Niagara Health website, CEO Lynn Guerriero said residents' concerns "highlight the community's deep commitment to ensuring local access to health care, a commitment Niagara Health shares." Cuts made under previous governments Formerly called Douglas Memorial Hospital, the Fort Erie UCC was converted from an ER in 2009 when Liberal Dalton McGuinty was premier. This provincial election, the Fort Erie health care SOS group is calling on candidates to commit to restoring all-day service and turn the UCC back into a full hospital. "Communities feel really unsettled when facing the closure of any timely emergency service," said Dr. Alan Drummond, an ER physician and family doctor in Perth, Ont. Months after the Fort Erie ER was converted to a UCC, a local teen died in a collision. Her family and critics of the emergency department's conversion questioned whether she would have survived had she been able to get care there. In a subsequent coroner's inquest, a jury made no recommendations about ERs. Drummond told CBC Hamilton cases like that leave a lasting impact on communities and he understands why people would be upset about further reductions. WATCH | Rural ERs face a precarious existence: The Breakdown | Rural ERs face a precarious existence 6 months ago Duration 20:04 For The National, a CBC News crew gets rare access to three rural Ontario emergency rooms to see how they're fighting to care for patients and keep the doors open despite chronic staff shortages. Drummond is a member and past president of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians who has been vocal about ER closures. Southwestern and northern Ontario have been experiencing these largely on the basis of nursing shortages, Drummond said, in part due to pandemic burnout and the "ham-handed" way the provincial government dealt with nurses. Ontario has failed to maintain "human health resources," Drummond said, so going forward, Ontarians "probably have to readjust our thinking." A shortage of health professionals means it may no longer be realistic for smaller communities to maintain ERs and UCCS. "Wouldn't it be wiser to have a dedicated centre of excellence" over multiple smaller hospitals all struggling to maintain services, he questioned. Drummond also cautioned against prescribing too much value to a UCC as a source of timely care in an emergency. Really, he said, someone in serious need needs to go to an ER. "You don't want to end up in a less optimal situation." Niagara residents say health care is top issue Having a hospital in one's community means it's much easier for family members to visit patients, serving as advocates and making them feel better. It also makes it easier for people who don't drive to get to appointments, the SOS group says. Urgent care in Port Colborne and Fort Erie is "essential," because people without family doctors need options for treatment outside of hospitals, Sue Hotte, chair of the Niagara chapter of the Ontario Health Coalition said. And overall, Hotte said, health care in Niagara is in a "state of crisis." People regularly share their negative experiences in hospitals, she said, which include lengthy waits and being treated in hallways. For Colleen Sibeon, 43, health care is the number one election issue. The Thorold, Ont., resident who works at an electronics company worries about hospitals closing down and wants to know how candidates plan to fund the public health system. Sibeon's husband is "high-risk" and the two work hard to limit their exposure to illness by wearing masks in public and avoiding socializing when lots of people are sick. They want to limit their reliance of the health-care system, Sibeon said, because they're "so scared of what's not there." Carole Mason of St. Catharines told CBC Hamilton she'd like to see the province invest more in health care. "Instead of giving everybody $200, put that into health care. That's what should have been done because we need new doctors and the doctors coming into the country need to be able to work," the retired welding instructor, 85, said. What the parties say Here's some of what the major political parties are promising when it comes to ER closures and the situation in Niagara. Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario The PCs said they invested $85 billion in health care "this year alone," including in over 50 hospital redevelopment projects, such as West Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Grimsby and the new Niagara Falls hospital. Those projects add "nearly 600 new beds across the region," they said. The party said the PC government invested $44 million to "tackle" ER wait times and $10 million to upskill 1,000 nurses to work in ERs, as well as $2 million in primary care across Niagara. The PCs will "continue to support" Niagara Health's master plan, including its decision to change the roles of the Port Colborne and Fort Erie UCCs "so they can provide care that better meets the needs of the local communities, including primary care services." New Democratic Party of Ontario An NDP government would "restore services" to the UCCs in Port Colborne and Fort Erie, "so that no one needs to drive through traffic or winter storms to get the care they need," a party spokesperson said. The NDP would also "open a fully-staffed, full-service hospital to support people in Welland for decades to come." The NDP would "lead a targeted recruitment and retention initiative" to "bring back" health-care professionals, pay workers "fairly," fund administrative support "to reduce the burden of paperwork," and work to get more internationally-trained doctors into ERs. The party also says it would work to hire doctors in "areas with the greatest need," and increase funding for programs to support remote communities. Ontario Liberal Party The Liberals did not respond to specific questions from CBC Hamilton but have said they would guarantee every Ontarian will have a family doctor close to home by the end of their first term, if elected. The Liberals say they would invest $3.1 billion to "attract and retain 3,100 family doctors by 2029," partly by doubling medical school spots and integrating internationally trained doctors more quickly. The party says a Liberal government would pay all nurses and personal support workers a living wage. Green Party of Ontario The Greens did not respond to specific questions from CBC Hamilton but have said the party would expand public, 24/7 non-urgent clinics as an alternative to ERs. The Greens would recruit 3,500 family doctors to make sure all Ontarians have one within three to four years. The Greens say they would pay nurses, doctors and personal support workers the same wage to better serve remote areas, and halve the cost rural communities pay for new hospitals. The party also said a Green government would cover travel for health-care workers to treat people at home, make more nursing program spaces and approve international health-care workers faster.
CBC
10-02-2025
- Health
- CBC
Hospitals in Niagara seeing 'alarming spike' in flu cases and urge people to get vaccinated
Hospitals in the Niagara region are seeing an "alarming spike" in flu cases, with a growing number of patients requiring hospitalization — including several in the intensive care unit (ICU), according to Niagara Health. As of Monday, Niagara Health has 41 influenza cases in hospital with seven in ICU. On Friday, those numbers were 32 flu cases in hospital and five in ICU. Dr. Karim Ali said this is the worst flu season the region has seen since before the COVID-19 pandemic, and he's urging people to get their flu shot. "We are seeing high numbers of flu cases in our hospitals, and people are getting very sick," Ali said in a news release on Monday. Ali is the medical director of Infection, Prevention and Control with Niagara Health, and the head of service for infectious diseases. "Flu is not just a seasonal nuisance — it can lead to serious complications, and this year is proving that. "I want to urge people to take flu season seriously and get vaccinated, as this year's flu shot appears to be highly effective in preventing severe illness," Ali added. Several patients being treated in intensive care Several patients are currently being treated in intensive care, with more admitted to hospital for flu-related complications, the release said. Ali said this should serve as a reminder that influenza is not just a bad cold — it can be life-threatening, especially for seniors, young children and those with underlying health conditions. Dr. Azim Kasmani, Niagara Region's Medical Officer of Health, said while the season is underway, it's never too late to get vaccinated. "With flu season in full swing, it's important to remember that the flu vaccine is an effective tool in protecting yourself and others against the current strain," Kasmani said. Kasmani added that by layering protection through vaccination, hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette, and staying home when sick, people not only protect themselves but also those at higher risk of severe outcomes, such as hospitalization or even death, from getting infected. Hospitals brace for more cases Meanwhile, Ali said hospitals are bracing for more cases in the weeks ahead, and he hopes people take the necessary steps to stay healthy. "We want people to protect themselves," he said. Niagara Health is reminding residents that flu shots are available across the region at pharmacies, through family doctors, or at walk-in clinics. Many local pharmacies offer flu vaccinations, often with walk-in or appointment options.
