York-Simcoe slated to receive funding for 12 new long-term care beds.

Ontario Government Taking Immediate Action to End Hallway Healthcare
Province securing more than 1,100 hospital beds and creating 6,000 new long-term care beds to ease hospital gridlock in communities that need it most

October 13, 2018

KESWICK – The Ontario government is delivering on its promise to end hallway health care by taking urgent action to expand access to long-term care, reduce the strain on the health care system in advance of the upcoming flu season, and work with front line health care professionals and other experts to transform the province’s health care system.

Last week, the government announced that it would be moving forward with creating 6,000 new long-term care beds across Ontario. The beds represent the first wave of more than 15,000 long-term care beds the government committed to building during the election, with York-Simcoe slated to receive funding for 12 new beds.

“One patient treated in a hallway is one patient too many. It’s unacceptable that people are waiting hours before seeing a doctor, or are forced to lie on stretchers in hospital hallways when they do finally get care,” said Mulroney. “Patients are frustrated, families are frustrated, and doctors and nurses are frustrated. The people of York-Simcoe deserve access to efficient, quality health care, and our government is taking an immediate first step in delivering on that promise.”

As an immediate measure, Ontario will create 640 new beds and spaces and extend funding for spaces already operating in the hospital and community sectors across Ontario to help communities prepare for the surge that accompanies the upcoming flu season.

Mulroney was at Keswick’s Cedarvale Lodge on Saturday to hear from staff and residents about how the increase in beds will afford people more opportunities to receive the care they need, when they need it.

“During the campaign I heard a lot from people about the wait times in hospitals, and the capacity concerns that facilities were facing due to bed shortages. It’s something that affects people of all ages across the province, and it’s why our government promised that we would address it,” said Mulroney. “It’s clear to me that this is going to have an immediate and positive effect on the healthcare system, and we’re going to continue to build on this forward momentum.”