Hospital District meeting
Tuesday, January 24, 2023 the North Okanagan/Columbia Shuswap Regional Hospital District {NOCSRHD} directors met for a regular board meeting in CSRD Boardroom. The meeting occurred both in person and virtually. The Board of directors consists of 14 representatives of the Regional District of North- Okanagan {RDNO}, and nine members from Columbia Shuswap Regional District {CSRD}. At the beginning of the meeting, directors voted for who would be the chair and vice-chair of the meeting: Kevin Acton/ Lumby, and vice-chair Rhona MARTIN/ Director of Area E, CSRD were elected.
Interior Health {IH }was virtually represented at the meeting by Dan Goughnour, corporate director, and Heather Wood, director of the home support transformation.
Dan Goughnour presented facts about Interior Health from the year 2022 as laid out in “Interior Health Overview & Project Update Report”, some of which are: Interior Health served over 834,000 individuals across the southern interior of BC, covering 60 municipalities, 4 regional hospitals, 16 community hospitals, 22 healthcare centres, 41 IH- owned long-term care sites, 7 urgent and primary care centres, and 2 tertiary hospitals with a budget of $3.1 billion, including $13.7 million digital health, which is partially shared with Regional Health District. Over 23,000 health staff members, including over 1,900 physicians and more than 4,800 volunteers provided daily service within the region. The report states that there is an expected early “escalation of finance” of between 12- 16% from 2022- 2025.
For the full presentations click on the link below.
https://pub-csrd.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=31838
After the presentation by Interior Health {IH} Chief Financial Officer for the CSRD Jodi Pierce presented the North Okanagan/Columbia Shuswap Regional Hospital Districts {NOCSRHD} 2023 five-year plan draft, budget planning worksheet, and status of approved and proposed projects.
https://www.csrd.bc.ca/Archive.aspx?ADID=608
Interior Health sent the financial request to North Okanagan/Columbia Shuswap Regional Hospital District {NOCSRHD} in the amount of $7,112,000 [2022- $4,888,500}, which indicated that the funding request for 2023/2024 would be an increase of approximately $5,4 million, which is more than was estimated. Based on the request, staff has recommended a 3.9% increase to taxes for the 2023 taxation year, Jodi Pierce reported.
For a full agenda and financial statement click on the link below.
During the Question & Answer period Brian SCHREINER/Enderby, Victor CUMMING/Vernon, and Kevin FLYNN/Salmon Arm complained about poor communication between Interior Health {IH} and the Board of directors because IH presented a budget increase with new projects, but without any consultation with the members of Board of directors. Nobody from the board sees a business plan, nor a concept plan, director Cumming complained. A new budget contains electronic parking towers and we never heard about this, he continued. We need to be responsible for taxpayer money, Kevin Flynn added.
Another problem was with the requested $800 000 {$320 000 share of RHD} for the mental health component: IH report was not 100% clear on how this money will be used, and again the board didn’t see any concept plan.
Victor Cumming addressed Dan Goughnour/IH what happens if the board does not approve the presented budget? I don’t know, it has never happened before, answered Goughnour/IH.
https://www.csrd.bc.ca/Archive.aspx?ADID=608
In the end, the Board of directors approved a 3.9% tax increase for the year 2023 and proposed a budget, but IH must send more details about $800 000 requested for mental health improvement.
DB
