MP fighting for urgent-care access
Badawey suggests an independent group could run centres in Port Colborne and Fort Erie
Although health care falls under the purview of the provincial government, Niagara Centre MP Vance Badawey says he will not sit idly by while south Niagara residents feel they are not provided equitable access to hospital services.
“It’s not directly our jurisdiction, but as an MP I still have an interest in my own region. With that, I’m still going to jump in with both feet with respect to any resources we can bring to the table,” he said in a recent interview.
“No longer is it going to be acceptable for the federal government just to stand outside as discussions are happening in our regions.”
He said those discussions have included the potential of establishing an independent health system to continue running and expand urgent-care centres at Port Colborne and Fort Erie hospitals, slated for closure by Niagara Health after the new south Niagara hospital opens in four years.
Badawey said it’s an idea he has discussed with Port Colborne Mayor Bill Steele and Fort Erie Mayor Wayne Redekop.
“Everything’s on the table and we are having discussions,” he said.
“I’ve also spoken to some of the partners and providers. There are opportunities for what Niagara Health (officials) might see as the future direction they might take with the facilities, and what opportunities might present themselves.
“At the end of the day, we just want to land in a good place and ensure that fair and equitable services are provided to those (people) in south Niagara,” Badawey said.
An emailed statement from Niagara Health said “finding lasting primary care solutions for Fort Erie and Port Colborne will take many partners and all levels of government.”
“Niagara Health is actively working with our health-care and primary-care partners, the provincial government and mayors to expand access to community health services in our region,” the statement said.
“Following the opening of the new south Niagara hospital in 2028, the municipalities will determine how to best use the Fort Erie and Port Colborne sites to benefit the communities. We are hopeful the municipalities will support community-run services such as primary care and diagnostic imaging at those sites, and we are in active discussions with them on how we can help. We will continue to work with our partners to make progress on this front over the next five years.”
Redekop said for Fort Erie and Port Colborne residents, the “urgent-care centres are our primary health-care safety net.”
“Without those urgent-care centres in communities … that have an inadequate number of family physicians to serve residents, we have no safety net.
“It’s not good enough to expect people to travel 25 or 30 minutes down the road depending on what the weather is like to get care,” he said.
Badawey said most of the funding for hospital services comes from the federal government — including a $3.1-billion increase in healthcare spending provided to the province in February.
That funding, he said, is earmarked to address priorities in communities across the province — including Niagara.
For residents of Port Colborne and Fort Erie, he said, those priorities are the continuation and enhancement of Niagara Health’s urgent care centres. He added retaining acute medical services is a priority in Welland.
“We’re working together with all levels of government, with our stakeholders and partners, so that what people expect in Niagara when it comes to equitable heath care they receive,” Badawey said.
Redekop agreed about the need to ensure access to health-care services is equitable.
“The federal government has a big stake in ensuring all residents of Ontario and the country have access to health care. This money they provided to the extent that it’s to ensure there is primary health care does need to be distributed across the province, and some areas are in greater need than others,” he said.
“One would hope that kind of money would funnel through the provincial government and recognize the needs of a community like Fort Erie, so that health-care safety net is provided through, in our case, an urgent care centre.”
In a statement following last week’s federal budget announcement, Badawey said he is continuing to work with Welland, Port Colborne and Fort Erie “to ensure Welland hospital and the two urgent care centres are maintained with the services expected by the respective communities.”
He said the budget “opens the door for the federal level of government to work with all stakeholders and participate in strengthening primary care services.”
Despite concerns about Niagara Health’s plans to shift to a threehospital model, Badawey said the hospital system’s staff “have been wonderful to work with.”
“This is a Team Niagara effort. No one’s pitting one side against the other,” he said.
“We want to ensure we all understand what that critical care pathway is and what the priorities are, and with that, achieve it.”