Funding MHH

To address the issues of underfunding, Matthews House Hospice has been trying, since December of 2009, to convince the Central Local Health Integration Network and The Ministry of Health and Long Term Care to increase our base funding to reflect the major increase in our case load. Current funding is essentially the same as it was when we were severed from Hospice Simcoe in 2007 when we were caring for 30 clients.

In February of this year that number had reached 141. By the end of March, we will have offered care for over 300 people in the last year. I could site you many more facts that illustrate the dynamic growth of our agency in less than 4 years.

We engaged the L.H.I.N. and Ministry on many levels ending with appeals to the Premier and the Minister of Health. On March 14, we were told in a letter from the Minister to work with the L.H.I.N. to solve our funding issues. In January, we had been told by the L.H.I.N. to petition the Ministry. At the moment, then, neither is willing to help.

Why is it that the people of South Simcoe, an area designated by Central Local Health Integration Network (L.H.I.N.) as underserviced, cannot get the same level of government funding as other hospices in Central L.H.I.N.? Why is it that Matthews House Hospice is the lowest funded hospice in the L.H.I.N., if not Ontario?

Why is it that Matthews House Hospice is told by the Chair and CEO of Central L.H.I.N. to petition the Ministry of Health for an increase in funding only to be told two months later that they must work with the LHIN to solve their funding problems ?

Will the Minister or someone with authority, meet with the Board representatives of Matthews House Hospice to sort out just who and how they can get a just resolution for the people of South Simcoe needing hospice care?