With the release of the Drummond Report, Dr. Nicola Mercer, the Medical officer of Health and chief executive officer of Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health said she and board members will review its recommendations for the health care sector with interest.
Several recommendations in the report were related to health care and public health.
For Public Health, they fell into three categories; funding formulas, need for increased health promotion activities; and a suggestion more integration is necessary in the health system with a possibility the public health sector be more closely aligned with the Local Health Integration Networks.
Regarding the recommendation that public health be fully funded by the province, Mercer said, “Public Health has always been closely aligned with municipalities and the report is suggesting a different governance model. I look forward to hearing the different perspectives on this.”
As for the call for increased health promotion, Mercer said, “This can be seen as a very encouraging recommendation for public health.”
The report cited British Columbia, which spends more money on Public Health and sees better health results.
Mercer added, “Any recommendation that strengthens the local delivery of health care is welcomed. It should be noted that Public Health has been a critical component of healthy communities in Canada for over a century. Consequently, public health is a long standing partner in our communities. We have developed a deep knowledge of population health and would welcome the opportunity to share that knowledge.”
