December 2007 

Community engagement sessions solicit feedback, explore innovation

As part of its ongoing commitment to involve local providers in program design and delivery, three community engagement sessions were held in Stratford, London and Owen Sound for health care providers and community partners in late November and early December. The objectives of these sessions were to explore innovation in the healthcare process, solicit feedback on models of care to support the work of several Priority Actions Teams, and to outline the Aging at Home proposal process and respond to questions.

Progress on accountability agreements

With a Hospital Service Accountability Agreement (H-SAA) template now approved by Ontario's LHINs and the Ontario Hospital Association, the South West LHIN and hospitals in our area will be undertaking their first accountability agreement negotiations since the LHIN assumed its full funding accountabilities in April 2007.

Priorities Fund allocations approved

The South West LHIN Board of Directors has approved nearly $2.5 million in new funding allocations to address local health care priorities, with an additional $4.5 million in annual ongoing funding to begin in the 2008/09 fiscal year.

“The South West LHIN and its providers and partners have been working to make improvements in the health care system within our existing financial resources. This new funding gives us an opportunity to address some of the priorities that are not being considered through other funding streams, and that will ultimately drive the changes that improve the day-to-day health care experiences of the people living in our communities,” says Board Chair Norm Gamble.

Welcoming new team members

Annabelle Mackey joins the South West LHIN team as a communications consultant, and Pat Pearce and Mary Raithby join the team as project managers until March 2008.