Every Canadian deserves to get the health care they need whenever and wherever they need it. But right now, the system is not living up to that promise with outdated technology, long wait times, and reduced hours at community clinics and hospitals across the country. That’s why on February 7th, 2023, the Government of Canada announced an investment of $198.6 billion over 10 years to improve health care services for Canadians. On February 13th, the premiers collectively accepted the federal funding.
Earlier this week, the Honourable Anthony Rota, Member of Parliament for Nipissing-Timiskaming toured the North Bay Regional Health Centre to speak with Doctors, Nurses, and the Leadership Team about how to make health care better for constituents in Nipissing-Timiskaming.
“This was an opportunity have open dialogue about what needs there are in health care and how the federal government can assist in meeting those needs,” says Rota.
“I had the pleasure to meet with Dr. Taylor Lougheed, Chief of Emergency Medicine and Dr. Melanie O’Grady, Medical Director of Family Practice, who both took time out of their vey busy schedules to discuss some important issues and to give me their point of view of what they do every. I also met with teams in the Child Adolescent Mental Health Unit, Acute Inpatient Psychiatry Unit and the folks in Peer Support and Forensic Mental Health. There were great discussions and I’m looking forward to bringing these ideas with me back to Ottawa to see how we can better support the workers who power our health care system.”
The funding is expected to target several areas, including, making sure Canadians have access to the health care they need to age at home, modernizing the health care system with standardized health data and tools leading to more quick and effective diagnosis and treatment, and making mental health care more accessible.
“I am thankful to MP Rota and the Federal government for their interest in our Health Centre and how we can work to make the health care system better for all Canadians. I was proud to tour MP Rota through our hospital and to share with him how we’ve managed to keep our wait times for surgical and diagnostic procedures stable, even after all the uncertainty and pressure facing health care the last few years,” says Paul Heinrich, North Bay Regional Health Centre President and CEO.
