Councillors unanimously back third-party review of MAHC's hospital proposal

Bracebridge town councillors passed a motion to hire a third-party consultant to review Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare's (MAHC) highly-contested hospital redevelopment plan.

Councillors unanimously supported the move.

"We find ourselves in a situation where trust has been lost, where communities are upset, where the entire medical community of South Muskoka seems to be begging us to intervene," said Tatiana Sutherland, town councillor.

Mayor Rick Maloney said the hospital's current health care redevelopment plan doesn't end with its application to the Ministry of Health.

In July, the Town second-guessed its $10 million funding commitment to MAHC after its board voted to proceed with its controversial two-hospital redevelopment proposal.

Now, Bracebridge is moving forward with that next step in questioning the decision.

"We want to make sure that we have as much information as we need to make a recommendation or put a condition on our share," the mayor noted.

"Everybody is quite pleased that this is taking place," said Save South Muskoka Hospital chair Bruce Kruger.

The Save South Muskoka Hospital group feels it has a plan that hospital officials and council should push for.

The 'Care Close to Home' model, developed by physicians in Muskoka, would give Bracebridge a total of 60 beds, nearly double the number of beds in MAHC's current plan.

"Bracebridge is at the centre of Muskoka; that's why we are called the Heart of Muskoka, and we have the population far greater to cover our hospital, with all due respect, than Huntsville does," Kruger stated.

Kruger claims hospital physicians at the Bracebridge site endorse the plan, adding that the current proposal does not keep patient care close to home.

The consultant's report is expected to be brought forward to the general committee and council before MAHC's submission to the province in November.