Wilson cut 2 billion in health care funding.

When Jim Wilson was the Minister of Health during the Mike Harris government he cut 2 billion in funding for our health care sector. Now Wilson claims that a Tim Hudak government would increase funding for our health care sector. Interesting given that Tim Hudak wants to cut 100,000 public sector jobs, which does not include nurses or doctors, but support staff for hospitals. So let's cut 100,000 public sector workers so we can have more money for hospitals. But, when you cut support positions who's going to do the work? Maybe Tim Hudak and Jim Wilson could spend their free time going around to hospitals answering the phone.

Anyway here's an interesting article from a local newspaper about this subject which will be a local election issue.

G&M at forefront of provincial campaign, locally

By Morgan Ian Adams, Enterprise-Bulletin Tuesday, May 13, 2014 8:15:22 EDT AM

COLLINGWOOD — The local hospital has been pushed to the front of the provincial campaign, locally, after one candidate used it as the backdrop for a campaign stop, Monday.

Simcoe-Grey’s Progressive Conservative candidate Jim Wilson says he would fight what he claims is the government’s decision to deny the Collingwood General & Marine promised funding to make up an anticipated deficit for this fiscal year.

The long-time incumbent says he’s also advocating for more money for the hospital in Alliston — as well as seeing that the capital expansion plans for both facilities get the OK from the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.

“Both communities need a new hospital and it’s high time they receive their fair share,” Wilson said while standing in front of the G&M,Monday morning.

However, the Liberal candidate says Wilson “has no monopoly on support for the... hospital.

“There is nobody in Collingwood who does not support the Collingwood General and Marine Hospital and recognize it as a great centre for health care,” said Lorne Kenney. “Funnily enough, Mr. Wilson and I do not disagree on absolutely everything — more money for health care is on everyone’s agenda.

“We would all like to see more money for the Collingwood General and Marine Hospital.”

Both candidates say they would advocate for new hospital facilities in Collingwood, Wilson pointing out the G&M Hospital has had a capital expansion application into the ministry for nearly a decade, with no response.

Alliston’s hospital was recently given the green light to move on to the planning phase.

Wilson said hospital officials need the OK from the ministry to begin its planning phase, and launch what would likely be a decade-long campaign to raise the $20 million or $30 million needed from the community to cover the local share of what could be $200-million project.

He also said a local developer, John DiPoce, who has offered up 14 acres in the south-east corner of town, “is getting a little impatient.”

Wilson said a Progressive Conservative government would step up and OK the hospital for the next phase of what it would need to do to expand.

“If (hospital officials) could get the green light for planning, that would get them out on the road (to start the project),” he said.

The G&M Hospital, said Wilson, is sitting at 105% occupancy, “100% of the time,” in spite of implementing about 90% of the recommendations from a 2012 efficiency report.

Wilson said he’s been told by hospital administration that core services such as obstetrics could be at risk if the hospital can’t find the $700,000 it needs to make up the funding shortfall.

The hospital had received $1.2 million last year to assist with the transition in the funding model for hospitals that, at the end of the day, could put the G&M in good stead financially down the road. However, that new funding model is being phased in over three years, and Wilson said the G&M was promised gap funding for that time period.

“It’s a pretty drastic situation for a small hospital,” said Wilson, who put the blame for the G&M’s current fiscal woes on a Liberal government that had “billions for scandals (such as the gas plants and eHealth), but they don’t have money for hospitals.”

Kenney, however, argued that it’s a “misunderstanding” between the hospital and the North Simcoe/Muskoka Long Health Integration Network over the gap in funding, and for Wilson to suggest that it’s “a deliberate act of government policy is simply preposterous.”

Kenney pointed out Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak is promising to chop 100,000 public sector employees, and while nurses won’t be affected, other hospital staffers “will all be feeling their neck if Mr. Hudak gets elected.”