Dr. Eric Hoskins
Dr. Eric Hoskins, Ontario’s Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, made the announcement at Sinai Health System yesterday. (Photo: Ontario Minister of Health and Long-Term Care)

UHN will receive funding for 20 additional beds and see its former 75-bed Hillcrest Centre reopened.

The announcement, made yesterday at Sinai Health System by Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, is part of a provincial government plan to open more than 2,000 additional beds and spaces across Ontario this year as hospitals prepare for an increase in demand due to flu season.

In addition to funding more than 1,200 additional beds across the province, Dr. Hoskins also announced several plans to better accommodate alternate level of care (ALC) patients. They included.

  • Reopening UHN's former 75-bed Hillcrest Centre site at Bathurst St. and Davenport Rd. in downtown Toronto as well as 150 beds at Humber River Hospital's former Finch site
  • Providing 207 affordable housing units for seniors who need additional community supports when they are discharged from hospital
  • Creating 503 transitional care spaces outside of hospital for up 1,700 patients who don't require care in a hospital

"Our government is taking action to ensure people across Ontario have access to the care they need, when and where they need it," Dr. Hoskins said.

Mike Nader, EVP and UHN's Chief Operating Officer, said: "This is an example of the creative approach we are taking with the Ministry, the TC-LHIN and others in the system to deal with the pressures we are facing. If we have fewer ALC patients in our beds, we will have more beds for those who need acute services."

Quicklinks
Back to Top