Prevention must be part of ending hallway medicine

October 3, 2018

TORONTO — Green Party leader and Guelph MPP Mike Schreiner issued the following statement in response to the announcement of additional beds for flu season and long-term care:

“Today’s announcement of 1,100 beds for flu season and 6,000 new long-term care beds, while welcome, will not be enough to end hallway medicine.

Guelph General, like many hospitals across the province, experienced overcrowding during the non-flu summer season and will need far more support as we enter flu season.

In addition to a short-term funding boost, the health care system needs investments in preventing illness and promoting health.

Decades of ignoring the root causes of hospital overcrowding have left us in a constant game of catch-up. Investments in preventative solutions today will save money and lives down the road.

But it requires a government that thinks beyond the next election cycle.   

We need assisted and supportive living, co-op housing and other spaces for seniors to age in place. We need real funding for the mental health crisis – much more than the measly $190 million per year promised by the Conservatives. And we need primary care reform to support more nurse practitioner-led clinics and family health teams to help people stay healthy and access care before they reach a crisis in hospital.

I urge the government to offer more than band-aid solutions and invest in the long-term solutions that will alleviate the strain on our hospitals.”

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