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• Changes to initial report
• Report highlights
• Mental health services
• Commission supports local solutions
• About the HSRC

February 4, 1998, Brockville, Ont. -- The Health Services Restructuring Commission (HSRC) today released its final report and directions to improve health services in Brockville.

"Today's announcement will result in enhanced services for all Brockville residents. This is because you will have the right services - both in upgraded hospitals and in the community, with everyone working together," said HSRC Commissioner Harri Jansson, a former board member of several hospitals across Canada.

"We received feedback to our preliminary design which we announced in November 1997 that has helped refine our plan. We were able to build on the fine work and co-operation that has taken place over the years in Brockville through an expedited process which we have used for the first time here," Jansson said.

Changes to initial report

The main changes to the HSRC's November 1997 report are:

• The Joint Executive Committee will be a continuing and integral part of the hospital and health service governance structure
• The HSRC advises the Ministry of Health to transfer the operation of Brockville Psychiatric Hospital (BPH) as of March 31, 1998 until its closure on March 31, 1999 to The Royal Ottawa Hospital (ROH). A new Brockville Psychiatric Management Committee, to be established no later than March 31, 1998, and made up of ROH and local membership, will guide the management of the closure and the transfer of services to other agencies
• The Commission is recommending a reinvestment of $6.6 million annually in services, rather than the original estimate of $4.7 million. The largest element is $3 million annually for Brockville General Hospital (BGH) to operate a new mental health unit. The unit will have 24 beds instead of the originally planned 18. The original cost of operating this unit was estimated as $1.2 million. The larger reinvestment reflects services to meet Brockville's need for acute mental health hospital beds and ambulatory mental health services
• An increased estimate for capital renovations to $23.5 million from the original estimate of $21.7 million. The increase represents additional costs identified at the BGH
• The hospital operating cost savings estimate has been restated to $4.7 million, or 13.9 per cent on a annual base of $34 million of 1995/96 net expenses. The original estimate was $5.3 million, or 15.5 per cent of 1995/96 expenses.

Report highlights

The Commission's recommendations include:

• All acute inpatient and emergency services will be provided by the BGH effective July 31, 1998
• All complex continuing care and rehabilitation services will be provided by St. Vincent de Paul Hospital (SVPH). It will cease to provide acute care no later than July 31, 1998
• There will be a total of 200 beds in Brockville with sufficient capacity to meet future needs to 2003:
  • 92 acute and 11 sub-acute beds (BGH)
  • 24 acute mental health beds (BGH)
  • 16 rehabilitation beds (SVPH), and
  • 57 complex continuing care beds (SVPH)
• Addition of 298 long-term care places in supportive housing, long-term home care, adult day care and attendant care
• The Brockville hospitals will form a Joint Executive Committee to implement the HSRC directions and co-ordinate hospital and health service delivery during and following restructuring
• Recommended reinvestment of $23.5 million for renovation and expansion projects
• Recommended reinvestment of up to $6.6 million annually in services in Brockville:
  • $822,000 for acute home care
  • $3 million for the new mental health unit at BGH
  • $1.8 million for rehabilitation services
  • $233,000 for complex continuing care
  • up to $791,000 for sub-acute care (for people who need acute care such as nursing and therapy, but do not require daily physician involvement)
• closure of the BPH by March 31, 1999

Mental health services

The HSRC revised its directions regarding the new mental health unit at BGH with input from local mental health care providers. This unit will have 24 beds, rather than the originally planned 18, as well as an ambulatory care program in recognition of the need for these services to serve the population of Brockville and the surrounding area.

From March 31, 1998 until it closes, BPH will be run by the ROH. A new Brockville Psychiatric Management Committee, with local representation, will advise the ROH on the management of the BPH and the transfer of its services to other organizations. This committee will be set up no later than March 31, 1998, and will remain in place until the closure of the BPH. The Committee will ensure that BPH's community mental health services are effectively transferred to other local agencies.

Commission supports local solutions

"The progress this community has already made in restructuring to improve health services is impressive. We want our directions to build on that excellent foundation," Jansson said.

Therefore, the HSRC directs the hospitals to create a Joint Executive Committee (JEC), with equal representation from both hospital boards. The JEC will allow the hospitals to operate as one organization in the areas requiring co-ordination. It will also help implement the HSRC directions in order to achieve the planned benefits. The JEC will continue as an ongoing feature of the governance structure for hospital and health services after restructuring is completed.

The Commission expects implementation of its directions for Brockville to be completed by April 2000.

"I want to compliment the hospitals for beginning to implement the HSRC's directions before they were finalized. I think that shows their fine working relationship and commitment to providing the best care possible to the people of Brockville," Jansson said.

About the HSRC

The HSRC is a group of individuals appointed by the Ontario government to redesign the Ontario health system. It is an independent agency of doctors, health care educators, hospital administrators, former hospital board members and other experts.

Highlights of the HSRC's work across Ontario to date include the call for:

• over $1 billion in hospital building upgrades
• over $500 million annually in new services in the areas of:
  • rehabilitation
  • mental health
  • sub-acute care
  • long-term care
  • home care
• the addition of almost 13,000 long-term care beds
• increased capacity to treat 16% more emergency and ambulatory patients at hospitals by 2003.

Contact: Paul Kilbertus (416) 327-5504

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