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March 10, 2016 - Minutes

Members Present:

Mr. Jesse Helmer (Chair)
Mr. Trevor Hunter
Ms. Trish Fulton
Mr. Marcel Meyer
Mr. Ian Peer
Ms. Nancy Poole
Mr. Kurtis Smith
Mr. Mark Studenny
Mr. Stephen Turner
Ms. Joanne Vanderheyden (Vice-Chair)

Others Present:

Dr. Christopher Mackie, Medical Officer of Health & CEO
Ms. Elizabeth Milne, Executive Assistant to the Board of Health & Communications (Recorder)
Ms. Mary Lou Albanese, Manager, Child Health
Mr. Daniel Brown, Western University
Ms. Laura Di Cesare, Director, Corporate Services
Ms. Paula Dworatzak, Western University
Mr. Dan Flaherty, Communications Manager
Dr. Gayane Hovhannisyan, Associate Medical Officer of Health
Ms. Lesley James, Heart & Stroke Foundation
Mr. Brian Kellow, Heart & Stroke Foundation
Ms. Kim Leacy, Dietician, Chronic Disease & Tobacco Control
Mr. John Millson, Associate Director, Finance
Mr. Chimere Okoronkwo, Manager, Oral Health
Ms. Linda Stobo, Manager, Chronic Disease & Tobacco Control
Mr. Alex Tyml, Online Communications Coordinator
Ms. Suzanne Vandervoort, Director, Healthy Living
Ms. Angie Woodcock, Canadian Cancer Society

Media Outlets

None

Vice-Chair Joanne Vanderheyden called the meeting to order at 6:58 p.m.

Disclosures of Conflict(s) Of Interest

Vice-Chair Vanderheyden inquired if there were any disclosures of conflict(s) of interest. None were declared.

Approval of Agenda

It was moved by Mr. Studenny, seconded by Ms. Poole that the AGENDA for the March 10, 2016 Board of Health meeting be approved. Carried

Approval of Minutes

It was moved by Mr. Hunter, seconded by Mr. Meyer that the MINUTES for the February 18, 2016 Board of Health meeting be approved. Carried

It was moved by Mr. Hunter, seconded by Mr. Meyer that the draft MINUTES for the March 3, 2016 Finance and Facilities Committee meeting be received. Carried

Business Arising From the Minutes

None

Delegations

7:05- 7:25 p.m.
Ms. Lesley James, Senior Manager Health Policy, Heart and Stroke Foundation; Ms. Paula Dworatzek, Western University; Ms. Angie Woodcock, Canadian Cancer Society, re: Item #2 Impact of Sugar Sweetened Beverages (Report No. 016-16)

Chair Helmer and Mr. Stephen Turner arrived at 7:02 p.m. Chair Helmer took over as Chair at 7:11 p.m.

Ms. Lesley James provided a summary of the Heart & Stroke Foundation’s position on sugar and sugar-sweetened beverages; Ms. Paula Dworatzek provided a summary of research on the consumption of sugar sweetened beverages and the associated correlation with Type 2 Diabetes and obesity; and Ms. Angie Woodcock, Canadian Cancer Society, provided information on reducing overconsumption of sugar in order to prevent cancer. Following their presentations, the delegates sat as a panel and answered questions.

Discussion ensued about the following:
• Consumption patterns of sugary drinks based on socio-economic status and the long-term effects of consumption patterns
• The implications of taxing sugary beverages and the policy changes that could be made to facilitate change and the ability to make changes at the municipal level.
• Actions that Ontario municipalities can take at the local level which include: dis-allowing free refills and limiting portion sizes.

Chair Helmer invited a motion to receive Report No. 016-16 attached to this delegation.

It was moved by Mr. Meyer, seconded by Mr. Studenny that the Board of Health receive the presentations and report No. 016-16 re: Impact of Sugar Sweetened Beverages and Creating Supportive Environments. Carried

7:25 – 7:35 p.m.

Ms. Trish Fulton, Chair, Finance and Facilities Committee re: Item #1 - Finance and Facilities Committee Meeting March 3, 2016 (Report No. 015-16).

Committee Reports

Finance and Facilities Committee (FFC) Report, March 3 Meeting (Report No. 015-16)

Ms. Fulton provided a summary of the recommendations from the March 3, 2016 Finance and Facilities Committee (FFC) meeting outlined below:

Discussion ensued about the following:
• Dental Treatment program deficit, and how funding rules apply to the proposal to fund the deficit with surplus
• The cost challenges associated with running the clinic, how the clinic would be funded in future years and how the Finance and Facilities Committee will analyze the resources and function of the clinic moving forward

Ms. Fulton clarified to the Board of Health that this was a one-time decision; FFC will look at and have more discussion on this item moving forward.

Dr. Mackie clarified the origin of the dental clinic reserve and its use; advising that staff will take the FFC direction very seriously for future considerations in finding cost saving measures and running the dental clinic.

It was moved by Ms. Fulton, seconded by Mr. Turner, that the Board of Health receive Report No. 07-16FFC “Fourth Quarter Budget Variance Report & Factual Certificate” for information as recommended by the Finance and Facilities Committee. Carried

It was moved by Ms. Fulton, seconded by Mr. Peer that the Board of Health approve that the 2015 Dental Treatment program deficit be funded by general Cost-Shared program surplus as recommended by the Finance and Facilities Committee. Carried

It was moved by Ms. Fulton, seconded by Mr. Turner that the Board of Health receive Report No. 08-16FFC, “2015 Vendor / Visa Payments” as information as recommended by the Finance and Facilities Committee. Carried

Delegation and Recommendation Reports

Impact of Sugar Sweetened Beverages and Creating Supportive Environments (Report No. 016-16)

Discussion ensued about the implications of taxing sugar sweetened beverages, the potential consequences associated with taxation and the steps Board members can take to bring this forward to their associated councils.

The Board requested additional information from Health Unit staff on activities that can be carried out at the municipal level right away to move this position forward at the local level, and enquired about the possibility of having a resolution go forward to the AGM of the Association of Local Public Health Agencies (alPHa).

Chair Helmer noted that the Board approved the first recommendation following the delegation and requested a motion to approve the second recommendation, with the addition of a third item.

It was moved by Mr. Meyer, seconded by Mr. Studenny, that that the Board of Health:
1. Receive report No. 016-16 re Impact of Sugar Sweetened Beverages and Creating Supportive Environments; and
2. Endorse the Heart and Stroke Foundation Sugar, Heart Disease and Stroke Position Statement to complement existing Health Unit work in this area, and further
3. Direct staff to bring forward additional information and action items to advance this position at the local level.
Carried

Information Reports

Income Security – The Effective Response to Food Insecurity (Report No. 017-16)

It was moved by Mr. Turner, seconded by Mr. Peer, that the Board of Health receive the Ontario Society of Nutrition Professionals in Public Health (OSNPPH) Position Statement on Responses to Food Insecurity for information. Carried

Summary Information Report for March 2016 (Report No. 018-16)

It was moved by Mr. Vanderheyden, seconded by Mr. Smith, that the Board of Health receive Report No. 018-16 re: Summary Information Report for March 2016 for information. Carried

Medical Officer of Health Activity Report – March (Report No. 019-16)

It was moved by Mr. Peer, seconded by Ms. Vanderheyden, that Report No. 019-16 re Medical Officer of Health Activity Report – March be received for information. Carried

Verbal update on work with Syrian Newcomers

Dr. Hovhannisyan provided a summary update on the work the MLHU is doing to support Syrian Newcomers. Staff are working with Newcomers in areas of child health, preconception, reproductive health, oral health, tobacco control and infection prevention and control. The Vaccine Preventable Disease Team continues to work with Newcomers at immunization clinics and have provided 1500 doses of vaccine.

It was moved by Mr. Peer, seconded by Mr. Turner that the Board of Health receive Dr. Hovhannisyan’s verbal update on the status of Syrian Newcomers. Carried

Verbal update on TB case investigation

Dr. Hovhannisyan provided a summary of the work moving forward with the Health Unit’s TB contact investigation. All test results (17) to date have come back negative. The Health Unit will continue the investigation and expect remaining test results to come in by the end of March.

It was moved by Mr. Studenny, seconded by Mr. Hunter that the Board of Health receive Dr. Hovhannisyan’s verbal update on the Health Unit’s TB case investigation. Carried

Generative Discussion: Mayor’s Advisory Panel on Poverty Draft Recommendations

Dr. Mackie gave a brief update and summary of the draft recommendations.

Discussion ensued about identifying organizations to take the lead on recommendations, the health equity lens in which the recommendations are set, the composition and experience of panel members, addressing poverty-related issues within the school system and effects the final recommendations might have on Health Unit work going forward.

It was moved by Mr. Turner, seconded by Ms. Vanderheyden, that the Board of Health receive the Mayor’s Advisory Panel on Poverty Draft recommendations for information. Carried

Other Business

Upcoming Meetings

  • Next Finance and Facilities Committee Meeting: Thursday, April 7, 2016 @ 9:00 a.m.
  • Next Governance Committee Meeting: Thursday, April 21, 2016 @ 6:00 p.m. 
  • Next Board of Health Meeting: Thursday, April 21, 2016 @ 7:00 p.m.

Correspondence

It was moved by Mr. Peer, seconded by Mr. Turner that the Board of Health receive correspondence items a) through j).
Carried

Dr. Mackie made two additional announcements:
• Mr. Wally Adams’ retirement planned for June 2016.
• Introduced Mr. Daniel Brown, Western University Kinesiology student and Loran scholar.

Confidential

At 8:39 p.m. Chair Helmer invited a motion to move in camera to discuss matters concerning a proposed or pending acquisition of land by the Middlesex-London Board of Health and to approve minutes from its February 18, 2016 in camera session regarding a matter concerning potential litigation.

At 8:39 p.m. it was moved by Mr. Studenny, seconded by Ms. Vanderheyden that the Board of Health move in camera to discuss matters concerning a proposed or pending acquisition of land by the Middlesex-London Board of Health and to approve minutes from its February 18, 2016 in camera session regarding a matter concerning potential litigation. Carried

At 8:40 p.m. all Health Unit staff, except Dr. Mackie, Dr. Hovhannisyan, Ms. Laura Di Cesare, Mr. John Millson, Mr. Wally Adams, Ms. Suzanne Vandervoort and Ms. Elizabeth Milne, left the meeting.

At 8:45 p.m. it was moved by Mr. Studenny, seconded by Mr. Meyer that the Board of Health rise and return to public session to adjourn the meeting. Carried

At 8:45 p.m. the Board of Health returned to public session.

Adjournment

At 8:45 p.m., it was moved by Mr. Studenny, seconded by Mr. Meyer that the meeting be adjourned. Carried

JESSE HELMER
Chair

CHRISTOPHER MACKIE
Secretary-Treasurer

 
Date of creation: March 31, 2016
Last modified on: May 10, 2016