County's support of health care changes form

By: Cecilia Nasmith, Northumberland 89.7 FM News

While Northumberland County council has upped its support of Port Hope Medical Walk-In Clinic, a report in Trent Hills News says the county has reneged on a five-year commitment to its two hospitals.

In 2021, representatives of Northumberland Hills Hospital and Campbellford Memorial Hospital approached council with an appeal for funding. As a result, council made the decision to invest $1.25-million over five years in both hospital foundations for the purchase of essential equipment. As then-Warden Bob Crate stated at the time, the province provides funding for operations and infrastructure, but community support plays a vital role in the acquisition of capital equipment.

The allocation would be 75% of these funds for NHH and 25% for CMH. And in ensuing years, these amounts have been part of each annual budget.

This year, however – as the one-year anniversary of the Port Hope Walk-in Clinic approaches – the recommendation was made that the $125,000 contemplated for the clinic be increased to $187,500.

That decision was made in closed session, but reported in open session. A report from Trent Hills News, however, notes that this is the amount that would have gone to NHH. And both hospitals have subsequently been notified that further support is discontinued.