LONDON, ONT. -- The Ontario government has announced a funding boost to London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) a year after the hospital cut beds to deal with a $24-million deficit.
The provincial government announced Friday a three per cent funding increase to the hospital sector, LHSC’s share is nearly $13-million.
That amounts to about a 1.6 per cent increase in budget for the region’s largest hospital. Meanwhile St. Joseph’s Health Care in London will see a one per cent increase with nearly $3-million in additional funding.
St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital will see the biggest increase in funding percentage-wise with nearly $3.5-million in additional funding, a 4.4 per cent increase.
The money to LHSC comes a year after the hospital announced a historic deficit to the amount of $24-million.
In response to the budget deficit, the hospital cut 49 beds as part of cost-saving measures.
It is not yet clear if the new funding will bring any of those closed beds back to hospital.
Speaking on the funding announcement MPP Jeff Yurek said he is proud of the government.
“I am very proud that our government is providing our local hospitals with the support needed to both address the current situation and be prepared for future demand,” said Yurek in a statement.
The funding is part of Ontario Action Plan: Responding to COVID-19.
In a release the government says it “recognizes the long-standing funding inequities for small- and medium-sized hospitals.”
The $68-million in funding made available to medium and small hospitals will be renewed annually.
The Ontario government is also investing $341 million in hospitals to ensure their ongoing readiness to care for an increasing number of COVID-19 patients.
This includes funding for up to 1,000 acute care beds, 500 critical care beds and assessment centres.
