KDSB Turning To Premier To Address Problem

The Kenora District Services Board is growing more and more frustrated with the province on the issue of land ambulance non-emergency patient transfers.
The Board is sending the Premier and the Northwest Local Health Integration Network a strongly worded letter calling on the government to upload the service.
Chair Barry Baltessen says transfers have put a major financial strain on municipalities and the problem has to be rectified.
He calls it an “unfairness that exists in northwestern Ontario that the rest of the province doesn’t have to deal with.”
Baltessen is calling on the Ministry of Health to pay for the costs.
The KDSB is ramping up efforts on the issue following a meeting with the nine member primary health care consortium and the NW LHIN.
Chief Administrative Officer Dan McNeill says the issue has been studied to death.
McNeill says 5 separate studies have been conducted and all of the recommendations remain the same.
McNeill notes that despite the suggestions, the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care hasn’t taken any action.
The most recent report on non-emergency patient transfers was completed in October 2013 but it wasn’t looked at by the NW LHIN until February 12th.