Three Parties Respond to Priority Disability Issues

MEDIA RELEASE

 Attention: Assignment, News, and Health Editors

Spinal cord injuries cost the Ontario Government $1.38 billion annually. Roughly half this economic burden relates to direct medical costs for acute, rehabilitation, emergency, primary, mental health and long‐term care. The Ontario Spinal Cord Injury Solutions Alliance has identified two priority issues for political parties to address in the Ontario Election. They are:

•  Attendant services wait times
• Improved accessibility within Family Health Teams)

The Alliance has also made recommendations that will address the issues of concern for people with spinal cord injuries AND save tax payers money. The letter to the parties and their responses are below.

 To date, there are approximately 895 people waiting for attendant services in Ontario. Attendants assist people with daily living needs such as dressing, bathing and cooking. Once these needs are addressed, those using attendant services are fully able to lead independent lifestyles. Without these services, they are left in hospitals or long-term care facilities – a costly option. If the government invests $16 million immediately into Attendant Services programs, there will be a profound impact on the health of Ontarians who use them, and produce substantial savings overall: a 50% reduction in waitlists across all Local Health Integrated Networks.

The Alliance is also asking for government to legislate and provide funding for the provision of accessible examining tables and hydraulic (Hoyer) lifts for half of all Family Health Teams in Ontario, ensuring broad regional distribution. By providing access to primary care, health concerns can be addressed before they become costly emergency issues.

A call for response was sent to the Liberal, NDP and PC parties asking for their response and commitment to these two issues. Below are links to the letter sent to the parties and the responses received.

All parties Call for Response letter: http://www.cpaont.org/forum/issues/all-parties-call-response-elections-ontario

PC Party Response: http://www.cpaont.org/forum/issues/progressive-conservative-party-response-our-call-response-elections-ontario

NDP Party Response: http://www.cpaont.org/forum/issues/new-democrat-party-response-our-call-response-ontario-election

Liberal Party Response: http://www.cpaont.org/forum/issues/liberal-party-response-our-call-response-elections-ontario

 Who We Are:

The Ontario SCI Solutions Alliance is a network of key spinal cord injury stakeholders from 70+ organizations including people with spinal cord injuries, researchers, service providers, physicians, and funders from across Ontario. Representation spans the continuum of care from injury onset through to community reintegration. The Alliances are supported by Canadian Paraplegic Association Ontario and Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation

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 Media Contact:

Mike Johnson
Executive Director
SCI Solutions Alliance
416-422-2228
or
Gillian Lynne-Davies
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
Canadian Paraplegic Association Ontario
(T) 416-422-5644 x 212
(C) 416-671-3189
Email: gillian.lynne-davies@cpaont.org