Common Ground | Terrain commun Ideas

To create a more inclusive and just society, we should explore how to better recognize/transfer foreign credentials and explore how to upgrade skills, knowledge and techniques to meet Canadian standards.

Mental health services are chronically underfunded - many people with mental health care needs are NOT able to access services unless they can afford to pay high fees in the private sector. Early recognition, access to treatment, and supports for people before their concerns become crises (or mental health concerns escalate) are necessary to support a healthy Ontario.

The Government of Ontario should develop a comprehensive action plan in consultation with patients, practitioners, hospital administrators, policy makers and advisory groups like Health Quality Ontario to realistically address our aging population's healthcare needs.

The Ministry of Health and Long Term Care should work to improve access to OHIP covered treatments for adults and children living with ADHD.

Increased NURSE TO PATIENT RATIO FROM 5:1 to 3:1 while returning the 100 residency doctor spots cut this year. My Grandfather DR Alan Brown ran Sick Kids for 40 years cutting the infant mortality rate in half by insisting the Premier pasteurized milk BUT also insisted that patients received care SAFE ratios mean patients leave without complications, with minimal pain and alive His Doctors provided the procedures , however... more »

I'm hearing that people know there are mental health services available in Ontario, but don't know how to access them or where to begin. We should create a governmental agency called Mental Health Ontario, a one-stop shop for access to care for key mental health services similar to Cancer Care Ontario. This agency would be responsible to drive continuos improvement in prevention, recognition of risk, mental health screening,... more »

Save lives with emergency crisis services for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). BPD, more common than schizophrenia and bipolar, affects up to 6% of the population, with 10% of affected people committing suicide, yet there is very limited, if any, assistance in emergency departments when in crisis.

Often employers seek sick notes for employees needing a sick day as proof of illness, this practice often results as a tax on the sick as doctors notes are not covered by OHIP, but as well for many short term illness that are 1-3 days long that do not warrant medical intervention. This practice is no doubt a burden upon our healthcare system and working people of this province for the sole reason of employers not placing... more »

A separate minister would better be able to focus on these pivotal issues and help finish implementation of the Health Ministry's Open Minds, Healthy Minds long term strategy.

A link to the ministry strategy: http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/common/ministry/publications/reports/mental_health2011/mentalhealth.aspx

Ontario needs to make telemedicine a core part of how health care is delivered in this province. Telemedicine expands care to people who cannot access it, makes it easier to access for those who find getting health care inconvenient or inefficient, such as seniors, and drastically streamlines services to make them more efficient.

Delivering on the promise of universal health care is challenging. Hundreds of thousands... more »

The goal of building strong sustainable communities applies strongly to our ultimate community anchor: our hospitals. Healthcare institutions are major employers. As patients, we use them when we are at our most vulnerable, so their location is a critical part of the planning process. We cannot afford to approve greenfield hospital infrastructure beyond established neighbourhoods.

Our communities are aging, and outside... more »

In Ontario, we have one of the most comprehensive health care systems in the world. In the mental health area, there have been many strides made - specifically as it relates to Children & Youth.

We recognize that there are significant gaps in access to mental health support services province-wide. While there has been a successful three-year strategy for children and youth, more needs to be done.

Our vision is for... more »

It seems that the current medical climate is all pharma and none of it seems to "cure" or get to the root of the medical issue. I think allowing Seniors (over 60) to use and have covered Naturopathic and Osteopathic care from certified heath care professionals would prove to be a positive step forward in health care. From my experience the current General Practitioners only "know" pharma solutions - having used Naturopathic... more »

Amend Ontario Labour Code like what Federal legislature is doing through Bill C-65.

Adding "a statement to the effect that the employer will take such disciplinary measures as the employer deems appropriate against any person under the employer’s direction who subjects any employee to sexual harassment" (copied from Bill C-65).

Current harassment resolution deals with complainants while the harassers are not in the... more »