The Ontario government is providing an additional $473,000 in funding over the next two years to Hospice Peterborough to expand access to palliative care services in the area.
The funding is part of an increase of $147.4 million in palliative care funding for around 75 hospices across the province, including $66.7 million over the next two years, which was announced by Ontario health minister Sylvia Jones at the conference of Hospice Palliative Care Ontario earlier this month.
Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith made the announcement of the Hospice Peterborough funding on Wednesday morning (June 28) at the organization’s location at 325 London Street in Peterborough.
“This funding will allow Hospice Peterborough to continue the remarkable care for not only patients, but for family members as well,” Smith says in a media release. “This is part
of our government’s commitment to ensure everyone has access to care when and where they need it most.”
Hospice Peterborough operates a 10-bed hospice residence that offers 24/7 professional, patient-centred palliative care to those in their last weeks of life. The additional funding will be used for nursing, personal support, and other services delivered to Hospice Peterborough clients. According to the organization’s executive director Hajni Hos, the increase in funding will cover around 80 per cent of the residence’s operating costs, compared to the previous 60 per cent coverage.
“At a time when the health care system is under unprecedented strain, both in terms of capacity and a challenging health care labour market, these funds make it possible for us to continue to provide the high quality patient-centered care we have provided for over 30 years,” Hos says.
