Get it together because it’s getting embarrassing. That was the consensus around the Lake of Bays council table about hospital discussions.
The discussions were prompted by a position statement submitted by the Save South Muskoka Hospital group. The group is calling for a different model, one that Lake of Bays Mayor Terry Glover said would likely cost more money.
Councillor Mike Peppard said he had recently heard a presentation by the group. He said the group insists that giving more beds to the Huntsville hospital site is unfair, “and their solution was to actually give Huntsville fewer beds than it currently has, so I really don’t understand their idea of fair play, and I’m quite frustrated by the group personally,” he said.
Councillor Rick Brooks questioned whether “some people realize how dangerous continuing to waffle on this is going to be because there are only so many hospitals that are going to get work done in the next ten years. We’re nearly at the top and we could very easily be at the bottom if we don’t get our act together and start to work on the same page,” he said. “I really have a problem that south Muskoka continues to just kind of poke the stick in the eye… we’ve gotta start working together,” he urged.
“There seems to be a misunderstanding in south Muskoka about beds,” said Councillor Nancy Tapley. “Acute care, they’ve got a complete unit down there, they’re going to have a complete hospital, they’re doing day surgeries which everybody thinks they’re minor surgeries… day surgeries include cataract, hip, knee, spinal [surgeries], things like that. You’re not in for beds. You’re in to have the surgery, and they’re sent home…They don’t understand that, and Huntsville has to have more beds because they are designated by the Province as a stroke centre so they have to have stroke beds,” said Tapley. “They’re getting much more acuity in the southern Muskoka hospital… than Huntsville.”
Peppard said in a meeting he recently attended it was explained that a lot more focus and investment will be made to keep people in their homes as much as possible.
“I totally agree with Councillor Brooks that Bracebridge or south Muskoka needs to be careful what they wish for because the last thing we would like to see is the government pull out of a hospital in Bracebridge. We certainly want two [sites]in Muskoka, whether or not it’s what they’re proposing now or whether there’d be any changes,” said Deputy Mayor Bob Lacroix. “Agree with Bracebridge or not, right now, at least, they have gotten more than what they were initially slated for. So, I have to agree that, you know, you have to be careful on how much you want to poke the bear, as Councillor Brook has said because there will come the point where if they don’t agree, eventually we may lose the hospital, and that’s my biggest concern.”
Glover had a lot to say on the issue. He said he is incredibly frustrated with the process and said the bickering has become embarrassing. He also said he does not think it is up to doctors or politicians to make decisions about hospital planning.
“It really appears to me to be a Huntsville/Bracebridge issue, and I gotta remind everybody that there’s four other municipalities that are supporting this issue,” said Glover. He said the South Muskoka group’s position when referencing beds speaks to travel times. He said what’s being forgotten is the four other municipalities supporting the lion’s share of the funding are also having to travel.
Glover said Lake of Bays is in the middle of Bracebridge and Huntsville, and residents use both hospital sites. He blamed much of the adversity on social media and miscommunication. He said the public doesn’t trust communication from institutions or experts. “We’re in that phase, right? We’re in the age of outrage, so people aren’t really listening to that, so there’s got to be a better way,” he said. Glover said it’s important that the entire community work together. He said he has it from a reliable source that “the Premier’s office feels we’re not grateful… and I want to state here we’re extremely grateful. This is an incredible, incredible thing, and I also want to commend MPP Smith for putting this through.” He said Muskoka is fortunate to have the opportunity to rebuild its two hospitals, “and we need to look at that as we continue to bicker on false information and ridiculous statements.”
Glover said that at the rate Artificial Intelligence is moving, in 15 years, hospitals will look nothing like what is being proposed. He said people will be in and out of hospitals much faster.
“And I also want to say Huntsville isn’t entirely perfect here. I’ve heard a lot of disgruntled people here that the OPP station is getting built first in Bracebridge. I don’t think it would matter what we’re fighting over; we’re still fighting over a hockey game from 100 years ago… there is going to have to be a time in the near future when we say enough is enough; how does this plan look. I’m looking forward to that day. I think it needs to happen long ago. I think we’re wasting time; let’s get on with it. We’ve got a lot of money to raise.”
Brooks said: “It’s not the Huntsville hospital. iI’s not the Bracebridge hospital. This is the Muskoka hospital and just happens to have two locations. End of story.”
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The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Wow! Hats off to Mayor Glover and LOB Council for telling it like it is!
The buffoonery coming out of “Save South Muskoka Hospital” is embarrassing our entire region.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
I agree. This is getting out of hand. Squeaky wheels do not always get the results they want or expect. Sometimes they get next to nothing.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
I have been following the discussion about the regions health services and facilities. I think we need to be mindful of the terminology we use because it does impact the way people react. For example, when we say, “rebuild its two hospitals” it gives the impression that we have two hospitals, when in fact we already have one hospital. We amalgamated several years ago and became Muskoka Algonquin Health Care. This means that we have and have had for many years, one organization under one administration, with two buildings on two sites, one site in Bracebridge and one site in Huntsville. Bracebridge happens to be more to the south and Huntsville happens to be more to the north but our health services and facilities are meant to meet the needs of a huge area which extends from approximately half way to North Bay, half way to Haliburton, half way to Parry Sound and half way to Orillia (I cannot tell you the exact boundary lines). In any case, we should think in terms of what is in the best interests of all concerned, what is financially plausible, what is doable. We need to be as calm and rational as possible and keep in mind that this is not about Huntsville or Bracebridge, it is about the whole region. From the patient’s side of the gurney I can tell you that it is much better to drive for less than an hour to access a procedure or a test, than to drive for two or three hours.
Frankie Dewsbury says
Let’s not lose site of the facts of why the Save South Muskoka group got started.
The first plan for the South Muskoka Hospital site was 14 beds to hold admitted patients to await transfer. Then it was 18 beds and then after public outrage and physician input, it’s now 36.
In my opinion, perhaps the flaw was in the planning phase itself. Perhaps key stakeholders should have been at the planning table at the onset. Perhaps the South Muskoka physicians wouldn’t have cause to subsequently submit alternative solutions that eventually has seen the plan change to 36 beds. They are needing 24 more beds. Less beds than they have now and running at occupancy levels on average of 110-140 percent. A situation of lack of staff and burnout. Not sustainable.
This situation could’ve been avoided, in my opinion. It’s always been political and has been going on now for over 10 years. First one hospital, shot down by two mayors who are now MP and MPP. Then two equal sites in 2018 which was not pursued in 2023.
Trying to ensure healthcare is accessible for those who have no means of travel (for ALL communities) ensuring physicians and healthcare providers are recruitable and retained is paramount. This should be the common goal for us all. It’s not a hockey game grudge match. It’s about healthcare being accessible and sustainable.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
MAHC’s dithering has cost the taxpayer hundreds of millions of dollars.
Unacceptable plans presented by them for 12 years, so far, as construction costs have skyrocketed.
Taxpayers are not spending a billion dollars to go backwards in health care in Muskoka.
Backwards at both Huntsville and Bracebridge hospitals.
The MAHC plan requires Huntsville residents to travel to Bracebridge for short term care. Unlike now.
Spend far less money and add wings to the existing sites to improve both as suggested by Dave Wilkin here: https://doppleronline.ca/huntsville/mahc/
“This journey started about 12 years ago, and yet, here we are today with no hospital capital upgrades done and fighting again in the community over what is still an unaffordable plan.
If they had listened to our and the majority of community voices back then, and instead of brand new hospitals, they opted for incremental existing site upgrades, we would be well on the way to the much-needed capacity expansion and hospital renewal, at an affordable cost. This is the route the vast majority of hospitals in Ontario take.”
And at Midland hospital.
A big increase in Midland not a big decrease in Bracebridge hospital beds as MAHC has planned.
Search “Georgian Bay General Hospital looks to future with $100M expansion plans”
I understand the $100 M is the local share for 240 beds.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Perhaps now Bracebridge will get some answers to obvious questions that MAHC just brushed off.
https://southmuskoka.doppleronline.ca/town-of-bracebridge-wants-independent-review-of-hospital-plans/
And a cost comparison of simply adding new wings to the existing sites like most hospitals do.
Instead of massively expensive all new.
Jade Green says
The division between the northern and southern communities of Muskoka is ridiculous. Most of the mayors and councils who’s community members would access the northern hospital site are pleased with the new plan and frequently tell their fellow Muskokans to just get on board lest we lose this opportunity. Meanwhile, many of the southern mayors and councils are reflecting the outrage in their communities regarding a reduction of nearby services.
Originally this was going to be a one site hospital and all the communities summarily rejected that proposal. A reasonably equitable solution was proposed as recently as August of last year.
The challenge comes from absolutely appalling mishandling by the board. Instead of sharing the issues relating to funding from MOH with the community, communicating the challenges and perceived necessary next steps, they went mum for months and then presented their new idea like it was the best thing in the world and no one would notice the change. It was easily to anticipate there would be community outrage but they failed to do so.
It is entirely fair that northern communities would like to push on with this plan, as their access to medical services will see improvement through its implementation. It is also entirely fair that the more southern communities feel upset that they are not being offered what was promised repeatedly through this process. In additon, it is undeniably clear that there was more flexibility in the plan than originally stated or the bed counts at the southern hospital site would not have been able to be increased at all – something, to be clear, which was accomplished by the constant pressure of members of the medical community in South Muskoka, members of the Save South Muskoka Hospital group and politicians in the region. Who know what more could have been accomplished if the MAHC had been more transparent from the start.
These hospitals will serve these communities for the next 50 to 100 years – this is not a minor decision and it will shape the communities of Muskoka for decades to come. This is a decision that needs to be made with careful consideration and less dismissive and divisive commentary from municipal politicians seeking to score cheap political points. Shame on you.
Also, we should not lose track of the fact that if Doug Ford’s MOH and MOF made appropriate funding available, this wouldn’t be a problem in the first place. We need to stop pointing the finger at other Muskokans and go after the people who could solve this problem – the provincial government and Premier Doug Ford. The defunding the public medical system must stop immediately.
Jim Breen says
To Jade Green, surely you must be joking? Doug Ford has made $1B available for a sparsely populated, rural area. This is more per capita funding than any other region in Ontario and Canada. No other party would have or did make this commitment.
This is MAHC’s fault, not the government’s. And as anyone without a partisan bone to pick acknowledges, $1B is a ridiculously large amount of money for these hospitals.
“There’s no whining on a yacht”…and yet here we are.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
What would be “embarrassing” is to have the people in South Muskoka allow the MAHC plan to carry through leaving us with an emergency transfer station in South Muskoka. Was it “embarrassing” when the two mayors demanded two acute care hospitals; feeling so strongly about it that they wrote it in the 2015 resolution where the hospital plan was reversed? I’m far from “embarrassed” in fighting to save what our community has built. When community members come together to work for each other, it is called the democratic process and we shall continue.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Why is it that both hospitals cant be added to instead of building whole new hospitals? I know Huntsville obviously has enough space.