Community Health Centres decline SDH invitation

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After declining an invitation from the Sydenham District
Hospital board to discuss the SDH vision for healthcare in Wallaceburg, the Chatham-Kent Community Health Centres have called a press conference to discuss their own plans.

The CKCHC along with Canadian Mental Health Association Lambton Kent (CMHA LK), Public General Hospital Society of Chatham (PGH) and St. Joseph’s Health Services Association of Chatham Inc. (SJH) of the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance are set to announce their “interlocked approach to secure capital investments for patients/clients across Chatham-Kent.

“Achieved through a single integrated strategy with three distinct projects, the plan touts improved access for mental health, primary care and emergency services. This joint proposal presents an unprecedented opportunity for the LHIN and government to invest and strengthen the local healthcare delivery system,” a CKCHC press release states.

Due to ongoing clinics and patient care delivery occurring on-site, this will be a media-only event, CKCHC officials stated.

The meeting is set to take place at 2:30 p.m. at the CKCHC building in Wallaceburg.

During a SDH board meeting on Wednesday, Sheldon Parsons discussed details of a letter sent from the CKCHC in response to an invitation to participate in a vision session with the SDH board on May 18.

“It comes form Shirley Davis who is the Chair of the CKCHC. They have declined our invitation to attend. They indicate that they have unanimously supported a different model,” Parsons said.

“I think our goals are different. CHC’s goals are out of touch and out of step with two of the communities that they serve. I think it is counter productive to say we have made up our minds without your input. I go back to something that was included in a LHIN document ‘no decision about me, without me.’I think it is important, but I am hopeful that CHC will reconsider and come to hear what we have to say about healthcare and the vision we have for our District and our community residents.”

Parsons said the vision sessions is being setup for the SDH to discuss their ideas about how they see healthcare NAND to share those ideas with prospective partners.

“I am hopeful they will change their mind and see the value in coming and just listening,” Parsons said.

Conrad Noel, vice-chair of the SDH board, said it is obvious the CKCHC is not interested in working with the SDH board.

“If you invite someone and they decline, it means they are not interested’ noĂ«l said at Wednesday’s meeting.

“To me it’s very, very clear they have already made their pact with the other two boards because there is even a finance of section which is involved in here where the CHC will co-operate with the budgeting. So to me they have made their decision. Its very clear and lets go on. They are not interested. Maybe someone else is.

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