As a part of Ontario’s Action Plan: Responding to COVID-19, the Province has committed $3.3 billion in additional health care funding, a part of which is being directed to support additional assessment centres.
On March 31, 2020, David Piccini, Member of Provincial Parliament for NorthumberlandPeterborough South, announced that the Government of Ontario is funding a new COVID-19 Assessment Centre in Trent Hills.
This new Assessment Centre will be offered in addition to the current assessment centre located at Northumberland Hills Hospital. The opening of the Assessment Centre in Trent Hills is another example of the Government of Ontario continuing to take decisive action and unprecedented measures to respond to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) to help contain its spread and protect the health and wellbeing of Ontarians.
The Trent Hills Assessment Centre will be operated by the Trent Hills Family Health Team and Northumberland Paramedics and is the result of collaboration between these organizations, Ontario Health Team – Northumberland and Campbellford Memorial Hospital. The goal of the Assessment Centre is to build community capacity to respond to individuals experiencing symptoms which could be caused by COVID-19.
“Thank you to the individuals and the health organizations that have worked tirelessly to make this centre in rural Northumberland a reality,” said MPP Piccini.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the remarkable front line health care workers who will be working this assessment centre. In addition, I would like to commend everyone in our broader community for your efforts to ensure that we are keeping each other safe and healthy during these challenging times. Each one of us has an important role to play during COVID-19 and we are seeing first hand what a caring community we live in.”
The Government is prepared to do whatever it takes to ensure the protection of Ontario residents and to support our health care partners.
Ontario’s Action Plan: Responding to COVID-19 includes $3.3 billion in additional health care investments, relative to the 2019 Budget. This includes $2.1 billion in new initiatives to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as $1.2 billion to continue the government’s long-term plan to build a health care system that is there for patients when they need it.
“The Trent Hills Family Health team anticipates the need for COVID-19 screening will continue to rise,” said Nurse Practitioner Samantha Dalby, acting Infection Control Liaison for the team. “We are working with our regional partners and government agencies to provide residents with access to local assessment and testing.”
“Northumberland Paramedics is pleased to collaborate with our community healthcare partners as we work through this crisis,” said Bill Detlor, Chief of the Northumberland County Ambulance & Paramedic Service. “As the frontline paramedics are poised for your health emergencies, Paramedic managers are stepping up to assist the community in this capacity.”
The Trent Hills Assessment Centre will provide assessment and testing for individuals of all ages who have mild symptoms. This will be a mobile COVID-19 assessment centre that will be scheduled to locations in Campbellford, Warkworth and Hastings.
Ontarians are only able to visit an assessment centre if referred by a health care professional. MPP Piccini encourages constituents to take the self-assessment at: www.Ontario.ca/covid19 and contact your family physician or Telehealth Ontario if you feel you are exhibiting symptoms.
For further information on the Trent Hills COVID-19 Assessment Clinic please go to: www.thfht.com
QUICK FACTS
The new investments in Ontario’s health care system include:
· Investing $935 million more in hospitals, including $594 million to continue working on expanding capacity and $341 million to prepare for COVID-19 with an additional 1,000 acute care and 500 critical care beds and to fund assessment centres.
· Increasing public health funding by $160 million to support COVID-19 monitoring and testing, including investments in virtual care and Telehealth Ontario.
· Investing $243 million for surge capacity in long-term care facilities, 24/7 screening of staff and visitors, more staffing to support infection control and additional supplies and equipment.
· Investing $75 million to supply personal protective equipment and critical medical supplies to frontline staff.
· Dedicating $1 billion COVID-19 contingency fund, as part of the additional health care investments
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
