The Scarborough Hospital (TSH) welcomes the Report of the Scarborough-West Durham Expert Panel released today. TSH is pleased that the Report addresses three key objectives that will advance health services for the Scarborough community:
- Begin planning for the siting and construction of a new comprehensive acute care hospital in Scarborough;
- Make immediate to short-term capital investments to ensure that existing facilities continue to support quality patient care until new hospital facilities are built in Scarborough; and,
- Create an integrated hospital system under one corporation and one Board of Directors to oversee the three Scarborough hospital sites and the development of a single master plan.
TSH supports the recommendation of the Expert Panel to create one integrated hospital system in Scarborough and one integrated hospital system in Durham as these are distinct communities with very different health care needs.
The Expert Panel recommends that the three hospitals located in Scarborough would be integrated into one system, specifically TSH General (located at McCowan / Lawrence), TSH Birchmount (located at Birchmount / Finch), and Rouge Valley Health System (RVHS) Centenary (located at Neilson / Ellesmere). TSH believes that establishing this unified Scarborough hospital system is an important first step to fully implementing the Panel’s recommendations.
“The recommendations of the Expert Panel put the needs of patients and communities first. If fully implemented, the changes will result in better and more equitable access to care for the Scarborough community – one of the most diverse communities in Canada, but also one with disadvantaged and vulnerable populations,” said Janet Dalicandro, Board Chair, TSH.
TSH encourages the government to accept the Expert Panel’s recommendations, and to move quickly to implement its recommendations. For example, there is an immediate need to invest in and expand the Birchmount and Centenary Emergency Departments to ensure that existing facilities are better able to serve the community.
“Having a unified hospital system in Scarborough will benefit the entire community,” said Robert Biron, President and CEO, TSH. “Patient care will be better coordinated and it will be easier for patients to navigate and access a range of high quality services, close to home.”
“We thank the Expert Panel for taking such a thorough and consultative approach,” continued Janet Dalicandro, “and we look forward to working collaboratively with the government, the Central East LHIN, the Scarborough community, patients, staff, union partners, physicians, and RVHS to build a strong, integrated hospital system for the Scarborough community.”
The full report can be found on the Ministry of Health’s website. It can also be found on the TSH website.
