New Windsor-Essex Hospitals System Stage 2 Community Engagement Plan Released Today
10-12-2020
The Program and Services Steering Committee overseeing plans for the new Windsor-Essex Hospitals System has released a plan to incorporate public input into the next stage of planning.
The Stage 2 Community Engagement Strategy identifies Engagement Principles and a framework outlining levels of community participation. The document includes a decision-making model with site and program-specific Public Advisory Groups that will provide input on different aspects of the project such as accessibility and diversity as well as program-specific items (ie. emergency and cancer care.) These groups will include a mix of healthcare professionals and community members. They will be chaired by community leaders from Windsor-Essex who have expertise in the related area.
“The conversations that happen in these groups will help shape the new facilities and the way care is delivered in them,” said David Musyj, President and CEO of Windsor Regional Hospital and Committee Co-chair. “We want everyone to find something they are passion about in the new system, get on board, and make a meaningful contribution to the future of our hospitals.”
Stage 2 of the capital planning process includes the development of a Functional Program which is a very detailed description of how the new system will operate. It includes a look at staffing, space and equipment requirements and focuses on workflow for patients, staff and materials.
The information collected from the advisory groups will not only inform stage 2 planning, it will also be used to create key principles that will guide the project through completion.
“We are working on a major system transformation and that will require significant input from users,” says Janice Kaffer, Co-Chair of the Committee and President and CEO of Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare. “With members of the public at the table, we can ensure the new facilities are as user-friendly and patient and family-centred as possible.”
The engagement plan is consistent with the Steering Committee’s goal of being inclusive and transparent at every stage in the process. In Stage 1, community members had the opportunity to participate in 70+ town hall events and 8 radio phone-in discussions. Feedback from these events helped shape the Stage 1A & 1B proposals. Community members also had the opportunity to provide feedback on criteria for the new acute care hospital location and apply for a seat on the subcommittee responsible for recommending a site for the new hospital.
The Steering Committee has submitted the first of a 5-stage planning process and now waits for funding to move to Stage 2. The Engagement Strategy will begin early on in Stage 2 and continue to evolve throughout the process as more opportunities for participation arise.
“Now that we have acquired the land for the new hospital, we are eager to work with the community and turn our shared vision for a world-class hospital system for Windsor-Essex into a reality,” says Dave Cooke, Steering Committee Co-chair.
Those interested are encouraged to visit windsorhospitals.ca to learn more about the project and subscribe to the Windsor Hospitals mailing list to get information about how to get involved when the project officially enters the next planning stage.
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