UPDATE NDHN CLOSURE: Northern Ontario’s World Renowned Program Looses Funding
**Scroll down past article for video of interview with NDP Health Critic Nickel Belt MPP France Gelinas on her reaction to the closure of the NDHN**
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Last week, OntarioNewsNorth.com shared news of the closure of the Northern Diabetes Health Network (CLICK HERE for that article), at that time the President of the NDHN Susan Griffis, had confirmed that the 3 programs directly funded by the NDHN in Manitouwadge, Parry Sound and Sioux Lookout would also be closed, in fact these programs were providing 60 day notices to all agencies with with they had contracts and the people employed by them believed their jobs were being lost.
After OntarioNewsNorth.com published the article regarding the NDHN closure, news came from the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care to the programs in Manitouwadge, Parry Sound and Sioux Lookout, that they too would have funding transferred from the Local Health Integration Networks (LHIN) as will now be the case with other diabetes programs previously funded in part by the NDHN. Though the 3 local programs have breathed a sign of relief, this oversight has drawn attention to what seems to be a major lack of research by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care having been done prior to their making this decision which will have wide ranging consequences not only for those the North affected by diabetes and/or providing care for diabetics but people across the province. One can only speculate whether the Ministry of Health chose not to alert the media in regarding their decision to pull the plug on the Northern Diabetes Health Network having realized that they had too many yet unanswered questions regarding how the transfer to administration by the LHINs should best be handled, or if it was the unrealistic, minuscule window of time provided to the NDHN in which to end all operations – less than 60 business days (From Sept.27 – Nov 30) which weighed more heavily on the decision not to issue any type of press release. Regardless of why the Ministry of Health failed to share details of the closure of the NDHN, Diabetics served by the NDHN, media, MPPs who have repeatedly heard Minister of Health Deb Mathews sing the praises of the NDHN in parliament, those working for host programs or collaborating services, employees of the NDHN – all have been left reeling by the news.
It is important to note that, even with the 3 directly funded local programs now receiving their funds from the LHINs, there are still JOB LOSSES occurring. The Ministry of Health & LTC has provided NDP Health Critic France Gelinas with varying numbers, “Sometimes they [Ministry officials] are saying 9 jobs, sometimes they are saying 11 jobs” says Gelinas in reference to how many are loosing their employment because of the NDHN funding cut; those people who have been given 60 days notice that positions, which some have held for decades, are now being cut. Gelinas was disappointed with the whole situation, saying that 60 days notice in regards to such jobs ending was not adequate and lacked consideration. Regarding having learned of the situation through OntarioNewsNorth.com Mme. Gelinas said “There were lines of communication that should have been used that were not, I went on the [Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care] website, I looked everywhere and could find nothing…There was nothing. I had to go to the Minister [of Health and Long-Term Care] and ask.” Mme. Gelinas stressed that had OntarioNewsNorth.com not published the news last week her office would likely still not have this ‘on their radar’.
OntarioNewsNorth.com is trying to reach the Minister of Health Deb Mathews to ask if perhaps in light of the errors and oversights already identified, the Ministry of Health will chose to extend the closure date, add adequate time to make the transition in a way that would be more likely to be successful or even investigate whether this is the right choice at all as it seems in an effort to cut dollars there are some major corners being cut. Health care professionals, some of whom have worked in the field of diabetes care since prior to the NDHN’s establishment nearly 20 years ago, are telling OntarioNewsNorth.com they are very concerned that the LHIN’s cannot hope to provide the same level of support to diabetes programs as did the NDHN:
“NDHN was much more than a funding agency. This was a very detrimental decision.” said an Registered Nurse, Certified Diabetes Educator who preferred to remain anonymous. She explained her concerns further; “We were informed last Friday [October 5] that we are now being funded by our Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs). Each LHINs will most probably have what they think is the best approach, however, each LHIN works in silos. We were a ‘program’ we will now be a ‘department’ of our host agency. As I am hosted in a hospital, will my department someday be cut back to meet the ever demanding pressure to balance the budget? As a separately funded program with NDHN, this would never have been a consideration, the only one who could reduce hours was NDHN. Most importantly, I believe we will lose the ability to network…each LHIN will do it’s own thing. With NDHN as the umbrella, each one of us [diabetes programs] was encouraged to become a specialty program and were supported to achieve this. Some hospitals in order to balance their budget designate a $0 education budget, does that mean that one of us could now ‘not be approved’ to go to conferences or education.”
“With NDHN we had an annual meeting, the Business Day apprised us of the ‘goings on’ and we would then share with each other program strategies. The following day was always an Education Day. These meeting are gone. Also, our budgets had education allowance. NDHN was completely’Pro diabetes education and care’…I still can’t believe it.“
When asked if she believed there was any scenario in which replacing the funding which the NDHN was receiving would work one Registered Nurse, Certified Diabetes Educator said this:
“If Ontario, decided to establish an Ontario Diabetes Health Network, staffed by the resourceful and experienced ‘former’ NDHN staff, all of Ontario would benefit from what Northerners have for 20 years.”
It seems there are many more unanswered questions and uncertainties then there are solutions currently being voiced. Since this news was published last week, the NDHN has since added a statement to the landing page of their website, perhaps (though it is not confirmed) in part due to the lack of information being provided to media and members of the public from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. It says this:
The NDHN has now posted a statement on their website in regards to what is happening:
STATEMENT BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE NORTHERN DIABETES HEALTH NETWORK
On September 27, 2012, the Northern Diabetes Health Network (NDHN) was notified by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) that the Province of Ontario was terminating its funding agreements with the NDHN, effective November 30, 2012.
The MOHLTC directed that the NDHN take all appropriate action to terminate its agreements with service providers and host agencies, effective November 30, 2012. In accordance with this request, the NDHN issued sixty-day notices of termination to the many health care organizations that have hosted NDHN-supported programs and activities.
The Ministry has stated its commitment to providing ongoing support and the same level of funding that is currently provided to the organizations that NDHN funds, including the Diabetes Regional Coordination Programs in order to minimize disruption to those services.
The NDHN Board of Directors trusts that the MOHLTC has taken all of the necessary steps to ensure that the funding transition and programmatic realignment will be seamless and will not affect the services that Ontarians currently receive through NDHN-funded programs.
The Ministry has requested a wind-up plan leading to the NDHN’s eventual dissolution. The Board of Directors of the NDHN has established a Special Committee to develop this plan.
Although the Board of Directors accepts reluctantly the decision of the Ministry, the Board has relayed to the Ministry its sincere regret that the Province of Ontario is ending its financial support of the NDHN.
The NDHN has been actively involved in the planning and delivery of diabetes services across the Province of Ontario for almost twenty years and has developed and built significant expertise in diabetes system planning, programming and quality service delivery, particularly in relation to the high risk Aboriginal populations of Northern Ontario.
We are proud of the footprint that we have established over nearly twenty years in planning, implementing, supporting and evaluating diabetes services across Ontario and have earned a well-respected reputation in this field.
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If you would like to learn more about the Northern Diabetes Health Network, we strongly encourage that readers visit the Network’s website at www.NDHN.com and become familiar with the program and all that is being lost as we will all have to be watching and listening to ensure that those previously supported by the NDHN continue to receive all they are being promised by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
