For Immediate Release:
December, 2000

Access to Health Care Services will Greatly Improve Thanks to Funding Announcement

Last Friday's Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care funding announcement of $47 million for GTA/905 hospitals significantly improves patient access to critical diagnostic, cardiac, trauma, orthopedic and other services, closer to home. "This is a tremendous funding allocation that will expand, enhance and improve healthcare in the many communities that make up the regions of Durham, Halton, Peel and York," says Gale Mossman, GTA/905 Healthcare Alliance Chair.

Mossman explains that, "the government's reinvestment in healthcare will have far reaching effect." "The stage has been set to deal with both current health care needs and future needs as the population in the GTA/905 continues to grow and age."

According to Mossman, the Alliance is committed to working with the Minister of Health, Elizabeth Witmer and her Ministry to deal with health and service pressures characteristic to the GTA/905. For the past ten years the rate of population growth in the GTA/905 has been two to three times greater than the rest of the province. Statistics show that 40% of Ontario's increasing health care needs are in the GTA/905 due to the high population growth and aging.

"We want to help create a responsive funding system and establish a planning model that takes into account the health care needs of future populations to continue to ensure equitable access to hospital services," she explains.

"Each of the three funding announcements made by the government over the past few weeks is contributing to a healthier hospital system in Ontario. We anticipate that the government will continue to be responsive to the population's health needs as they grow and age," says Mossman.

GTA/905 Healthcare Alliance hospitals include: Halton Healthcare Services, Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital, Lakeridge Health Corporation, Markham Stouffville Hospital, Rouge Valley Health System, Credit Valley Hospital, Trillium Health Centre, Whitby Mental Health Centre, William Osler Health Centre, York Central Hospital, Southlake Regional Health Centre.

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The GTA/905 Healthcare Alliance is a group of eleven hospital corporations from the regions of Durham, Halton, Peel, York and surrounding areas. Alliance hospitals include: Halton Healthcare Services, Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital, Lakeridge Health Corporation, Markham Stouffville Hospital, Rouge Valley Health System, Southlake Regional Health Centre, The Credit Valley Hospital, Trillium Health Centre, Whitby Mental Health Centre, William Osler Health Centre, and York Central Hospital.