Over $3.4 Million Invested Peterborough Regional Health Centre, Expansion of Eating Disorder Support and Services

Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) is receiving $3,409,974 from the Ontario Government as part of its $572.3 million investment to reimburse hospitals across the province for their lost revenue during the pandemic announced Friday.

Ontario has a total of 2,436 adult and pediatric ICU beds. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The announcement was made in a Zoom meeting with MPP Dave Smith and Brenda Weir, PRHC Executive Vice President.

A one-time payment of $1,000,000 is included to immediately address the increased demand for services to support specialized care for children and youth diagnosed with eating disorders according to Smith.

“The pandemic worsened the challenges we face in health care and mental health supports after years of neglect and underfunding,” MPP Dave Smith said. “A $4,409,974 investment builds on our work to address hallway medicine, expand mental health services and ensure people in our community get the care they need,”

The program will focus on those up to the age of 24.

“The social isolation with the pandemic definitely has impacted how people have coped. Social isolation for any child or teen is significant as part of their development,” said Brenda Weir, PRHC Executive Vice President.

This funding is part of the province’s overall investment of over $1.2 billion to help hospitals recover from financial pressures created and worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hospitals have felt financial challenges not only through direct costs, but also through the loss of other forms of revenue such as co-payments for private rooms and the reduction of retail services, all of which contribute to patient care and support clinical services according to the press release.

“While the pandemic funding will help to offset the significant financial burden we have seen at the hospital as a result of COVID-19, the additional investment into PRHC’s Eating Disorders program will help us to address a dramatic increase in the need for this important service for youth in our community and region,” said Weir.

The investment in eating disorder supports and services is part of the 2021 Fall Economic Statement which allocates $8.1 million this year to immediately address the increased demand for services to support specialized care for children and youth diagnosed with eating disorders.

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