The Waterloo Wellington Local Health Integration Network (WWLHIN will host the final two, first-round information sessions for rural residents on current health care initiatives and gather input to plan for the future.
The next two public information sessions will be held on:
– March 30 7 to 9pm at Cedar Creek Public School in Ayr; and
– April 8, same time at the council chambers of the Township of Guelph-Eramosa in Brucedale at 8348 County Road 124.
The meeting in Rockwood will be done in partnership with the East Wellington Family Health Team.
Both sessions will be chaired by Dr. Chris Rowley, chairman of the network’s Rural Health Care Planning Group and Chief of Staff at North Wellington Health Care Corporation (Palmerston District Hospital and Louise Marshall Hospital).
“Residents are encouraged to provide their input in planning the future of the health care system,” said Rowley.
He added, “The Rural Health Care Working Group has just begun its work to seek input from a number of stakeholder groups. We had strong attendance at the first three sessions with 300 residents at the Harriston meeting on Jan. 28, 85 on Feb. 5 in Elora, and a further 35 on March 5 in Elmira.”
Presentations and meeting notes from all of the sessions have been posted to the network’s website at www.wwlhin.on.ca and can be accessed by clicking on Rural Health Care.
“The public information sessions are an important component of the first step in our planning exercise,” said Rowley. “In addition to presentations, there is opportunity for participants to provide feedback to the group.”
He added that with the rural health service providers working together, a comprehensive plan can be developed to support quality health care programs while maximizing resources and reducing duplication. He anticipates that the work will be completed by June 30, at which time the working group will report to the community with is results and plan.
