Update and Comment on Civic Hospital Plans

As you may have read in this morning's Ottawa Citizen, in an editorial board meeting yesterday, Dr. Jack Kitts expressed his views on a preferred location for the new "Civic" campus - suggesting that remaining on the Carling corridor would be his choice.

You can find the article online here at the tail end of this story detailing Kitts' suggestion that we need more nursing home beds:

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Health/Ontario+needs+more+nursing+homes+Kitts/1470950/story.html

You can also get more detail and commentary on Ken Gray's "Bulldog" blog here:

http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/bulldog/archive/2009/04/06/kitts-backs-carling-avenue-as-new-site-for-civic-campus.aspx




Here's what we've been doing as a Neighbourhood Association:

Before making a specific note on Dr. Kitts' comments, you should be aware of what we've been up to as an association.

Two weeks ago, the CHNA Civic Campus Plan Working Group met with The Ottawa Hospital's VP of Public Affairs, Nicolas Ruszkowski. Keith Hobbs, Amanda Farris, Kate Harrigan and myself participated in this meeting.

The purpose of this session was to 1) get an update from TOH on their recent meetings with Ministry of Health and other officials at Queen's Park with regards to the expansion planning process; 2) understand anticipated timelines as the planning cycle moves forward and where we and other neighbourhood associations will be engaged in the process; and 3) discuss other pressing TOH issues - notably ALC (alternative levels of care) for elderly patients and the strain this is putting on current hospital resources.

The tone of the meeting was consultative, and collectively, we felt TOH is committed to working with community associations throughout the planning process to get this project "right". We are off to a positive start, and want to maintain this positive tone and approach.

That being said, there is no intent to soft-pedal our views, or stop advocating for outcomes that we believe reflect the community as a whole. It has been made clear to TOH by the Ministry of Health, and political leaders, that community consultation will be a critical component of this project moving forward. We will continue to ensure this is upheld.

There were a number of takeaways that came out of this discussion:

1. Legacy of the Site - It was made clear that we believe some sort of health care facility should remain at the current Civic site. What shape or form this takes remains to be debated, and whether or not this remains the respsibility of TOH or part of a larger Champlain Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) healthcare delivery model, is for future discussion;

2. Grant Approval - In terms of timeline for the project, it is important to note that we are still at early stages. TOH has yet to receive a grant to start the formal planning process - although I do believe they are hoping to initiate that sometime in the next few months. Still, even once funding is in place, the process will still take 18-24 months before a formal request goes forward to the LHIN and Ministry of Health as the next step. We are still early days into a process that could take a decade.

3. Next Steps in Community Consultation - We need to continue to expand the reach of this consultative effort, including engaging our partner community associations, and reaching out to the LHIN and political leaders. We have not yet pinned down a date for a next public meeting, but would suggest we do something in May.



Comment on Dr. Kitts' views:

Which leads us back to Dr. Jack Kitts' comments yesterday regarding his preference to have the new hospital site built in the same general area as the Civic Campus - or rather, across the street on Experimental Farm property.

The following comments reflect my personal opinion, not specifically those of the CHNA. Please recognize that your input and thinking is very much appreciated and welcome in the "Comments" section below.

Jack Kitts' candour in making known his views known isn't a bad thing. One of the objectives that many of us would like to see throughout this proceses is openness and transparency from the Ottawa Hospital, and we have that. I do not believe he was trying to be strategic or political in his comments.

I also remain hopeful that the senior management team at the Hospital are committed to getting the plan for the new hospital right -which means meeting not only the objectives of the hospital and their internal stakeholders, but the community as a whole. We’ve already had one open meeting with the VP Planning – Cameron Love, and are in regular contact with Nicolas Ruszkowski as referenced above.

My belief to date is that the various community and residents groups showing an interest in this project, are being given some credit and clout by the hospital executive, and that the TOH end objectives can be met by being transparent, open and consultative throughout the length of this process. I could be cynical and suggest they are only doing what they are mandated to do, but let's take our early progress as positive first steps.

Dr. Kitts comments should also not be perceived to pre-empt what I think all of us in the Civic neighbourhood would like to see - a thorough and consultative planning exercise to ensure the new hospital meets the needs of the community in terms of 1) services offered; 2) ease of access to these services and 3) a planned legacy for the current Civic site.

There is no reason why this project can't be a win for all concerned.

Our open meeting held in January brought forward a diverse number of views – from incorporating the expansion into transit and “densification” plans for the City, to ensuring adequate access to care in a “downtown” hospital. These are all issues that we will continue to push forward, and in part appear to be issues Dr. Kitts addressed in his editorial board comments. Let's take that as a positive sign.

But I would also add that our local community, and our civic leaders, needs to start thinking bigger on this project – and quickly.

As one of two options, a proposal to move across Carling Avenue to the Experimental Farm will be difficult to accomplish. The Civic Hospital Neighbourhood Association does not have a specific mandate related to the Experimental Farm, but clearly, many in our neighbourhood care deeply about the property. Again, what is important is that we keep the lines of communication open with TOH and the LHIN, and also work to ensure that all other potential stakeholders - from Agriculture Canada to the City to the NCC are also engaged in an equally transparent manner.

You should be also aware that we will be formally asking the LHIN why an “expansion up” option isn’t being considered. The Toronto General Hospital model has been raised in our local meetings (where they’ve undertaken a major expansion on a small footprint). The current response is that such a project would double the cost of the new hospital. It’s a fair argument, but to rule it out, there should be a formal response as to whether this statement is accurate.


Again, your input and comments are vital to reinforcing the interest our community has in this issue. We've had two very well attended meetings in the past 6 months, and expect the next meeting when scheduled, will have an equally strong showing. Any formal positions that we do take as an association will be table to the community prior to any public meetings, and will be debated publicly.

If you wish to discuss directly, I can reached by email at scottbradleyottawa@gmail.com