At a meeting held last night, the East Prince Health Board had the opportunity to discuss the new health structure announced earlier in the day by Jamie Ballem, Minister of Health and Social Services.
Yesterday, Minister Ballem announced a restructuring plan for the PEI Health and Social Services System. In East Prince, the Prince County Hospital will be managed under a new Provincial Health Services Authority along with the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, the Mount Herbert Addictions Centre and the Hillsborough Hospital.
The East Prince Health mandate will shift from a partial acute care delivery model to an increased focus on primary care, wellness, illness prevention, chronic disease management, and partnerships with individuals and community groups to promote the broad determinants of health.
Primary care is generally defined as the client's first point of contact into the health system. In East Prince, the health region many services will remain under the regional structure including Homecare, Child and Family Services, Outpatient Addictions, Housing, Income Support Services, Public Health, the Stewart Memorial Hospital, Summerset Manor and Wedgewood Manor.
Dr. Allen MacLean, Chair of the East Prince Health Board noted that, "Although this plan is at a fairly high level with many details still to be worked out, the Board had a good discussion about the new health structure and the potential impacts."
David Riley, CEO for East Prince Health, pointed out that, "During the systems strategic planning process, Islanders indicated that access to quality acute care and more emphasis on wellness and community supports were important to them. Government obviously felt this type of structure was necessary in order to further this work. If the two acute care facilities can work cooperatively and the regions become more focused on community support and partnership, the goals of the health system strategic plan will become more attainable." Mr. Riley further noted that success in these areas may well assist in the sustainability of the system.
Dr. MacLean added that, "The Board acknowledged the outstanding work done by all East Prince Health staff since regionalization to develop a client-centred team approach to health and social services and that it would be key for this integration to continue. The Prince County Hospital is in our community and is going to be staying in our community, so it is critical that East Prince Health staff and management continue to work with the staff and management of the new Provincial Health Services Authority structure to ensure integration of services for members of our community."
Dr. MacLean concluded by saying that the Board will be monitoring the progress of this new structure as the details unfold. "What is foremost in the Board's mind is that we have the highest possible quality of health and social services for residents of East Prince and all Islanders.
For more information, contact Rod Stanley at (902) 888-8028.