Ontario Increasing Access to End-of-Life Care in Durham Region
Twenty New Beds will Support up to 300 More Patients Each Year
Ontario is making it easier for families in Durham Region to access end-of-life and palliative care with 20 new hospice beds at three new sites in Port Perry, Clarington and Durham West.
John Fraser, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, was joined by Granville Anderson, MPP for Durham today at the new Oak Ridges Hospice site to make the announcement.
Ontario will provide annual support for five new beds at Oak Ridges Hospice in Port Perry, and five new beds at Clarington Hospice. Construction is expected to begin in fall and late 2017, respectively.
In addition, the province will provide ongoing funding to a new 10-bed hospice in Durham West/Whitby that will be built by the Victorian Order of Nurses.
These 20 beds will be able to serve approximately 200-300 more patients and their families each year, increasing access to compassionate end-of-life support that relieves suffering and improves the quality of living and dying. It is part of Ontario’s commitment to strengthen access to palliative care across the province, including by expanding hospice care to include up to 20 new hospices across Ontario.
Ontario is increasing access to care, reducing wait times and improving the patient experience through its Patients First Action Plan for Health Care and OHIP+: Children and Youth Pharmacare – protecting health care today and into the future.
Quick Facts
- Ontario will provide $1 million annually to the Oak Ridges Hospice and Clarington Hospice and more than $1 million annually to the Victoria Order of Nurses.
- The Victorian Order of Nurses has been providing high-quality and compassionate palliative care to residents in Durham since 2005.
- In 2016, Ontario announced an additional investment of $75 million in hospice and palliative care over the following three years. This additional spending is on top of the $80 million already invested in hospice and palliative care, bringing the total investment to $155 million.
- Ontario is funding the Ontario Palliative Care Network. This is a partnership of community stakeholders, health service providers, and health system planners who are working to advance patient-centred palliative and end-of-life care and develop provincial standards to strengthen these services.
Additional Resources
Quotes
“I believe it is our role as a community to help those who need it most. Hospices are special places that provide compassionate care to patients and families at a challenging time in their lives. They are a critical part of Ontario’s plan to ensure access to high-quality hospice palliative care.”
“As hospices serve as some of the most compassionate and comfortable places for people to spend their last days, I am happy to see that our government will be supporting the opening of 20 new hospice palliative care beds in Durham. I commend the teams of the Oak Ridges Hospice, Clarington Hospice and VON for pursuing provincial support, as in working together, we will be able to expand and provide more Durham patients with quality end-of-life care.”
“For those living with a life-threatening illness, or providing care for a loved one as they near end-of-life, our hospices will offer a much-needed alternative to an acute-care hospital. Oak Ridges Hospice will be a tranquil, home-like residence where a dedicated team of specially trained medical, nursing, support staff and volunteers will provide compassionate care and comfort, free of charge, to Durham residents and their loved ones throughout the end-of-life journey.”
Steve Russell
“We are pleased and excited to be embarking on this residential hospice project with our partners in Durham Region. The Province’s committed investment in this important work will give our combined efforts the boost needed to engage community donors and partners in this work.”
Melodie Zarzeczny
“We commend the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and the Central East LHIN for making hospice palliative care a priority. We know from our day-to-day work providing community-based hospice care that this is an important need, and we look forward to the engagement and participation of the entire community in bringing these projects to life.”
Christine Raynor
“Palliative and end-of-life care is an area of focus for the Central East LHIN. As the population continues to age and chronic illness and advanced co-morbid conditions become increasingly common, we know, through our engagement with patients and caregivers and our health care stakeholders, that ensuring timely access to quality palliative and end-of-life care is not only an ethical imperative but a vital component of our health care system. We value the collaborative work being done by the partners in Durham Region to provide end-of-life services to local residents when a home death is not possible.”
Louis O’Brien
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