Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s board of health has thrown its weight behind a voluntary merger proposal with other eastern area health units.
On Wednesday, March 27, the HPEPH board cast its votes in favour of a voluntary merger with Kingston, Frontenac, and Lennox and Addington Public Health (KFL and APH) and Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health (LGLDH), to create what would be called the South East Health Unit.
However, only if all three boards approve will a voluntary merger be pursued. Then, the ministry must approve the merger.
Back in August 2023, the Ministry of Health announced what was described as plans to strengthen public health, offering one-time funding, resources and support to agencies voluntarily merging by Jan. 1, 2025, explained HPEPH, in a recent release.
In response, the three boards of health back in December endorsed investigating the impacts and feasibility of a potential merger between the agencies. HPEPH said the group also engaged a consulting firm to prepare a feasibility study and business case for a merger.
On Wednesday, at HPE’s board meeting, HPE medical officer of health Dr. Ethan Toumishey presented a merger feasibility summary report and business case brief prepared by consulting firm Sense and Nous, outlining results of the merger feasibility exercise.
It also identifies “strategic opportunities and challenges” associated with the proposed merger, and according to HPE, concludes “no significant barriers to a merger.” The business case also summarizes the rationale and key proposals to be considered by the ministry; including the name of the proposed new entity, governance model, geographic boundaries, opportunities to strengthen public health and supports needed to merge, and more.
The KFL and APH and LGLDHU boards are meeting on the afternoons of March 27 and March 28 respectively and will review the same presentations. It’s anticipated that afterwards these boards will cast votes on whether to move forward with the merger process, explained HPE.
Only if all three boards approve advancing, then they will submit a proposal to the ministry by April 2. In other words, the ministry has the final say.
“Mergers of public health units require provincial legislative change, and a merger will only occur if the province approves the boards’ proposal and commits adequate funding for its success,” said HPEPH. “Until any possible merger is approved by the ministry, the health units will continue to operate independently.”
Earlier this year, the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit – which covers Northumberland, Kawartha and Haliburton – and Peterborough Public Health also solidified their plans to seek provincial approval and funding to voluntarily merge.
Similarly, these health units continue to operate independently during the provincial review period and are waiting on word from the ministry.
(Written by: Sarah Hyatt)
