Agenda - November 16, 2017 - Board of Health Meeting

Complete Agenda Package (PDF)

Thursday, November 16, 2017 - 7:00 p.m.
399 Ridout Street North
Side Entrance, (Recessed Door)
Board of Health Boardroom

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest
Approval of Agenda
Approval of Minutes

Board of Health meeting, October 19, 2017.
Governance Committee meeting, October 19, 2017.

Delegations

7:05 - 7:15 p.m.
Ms. Trish Fulton, Chair, Finance & Facilities Committee re: Item # 1, November 2 FFC meeting

Receive: November 2, 2017 Finance and Facilities Committee meeting minutes

Other Business

• Next Finance & Facilities Committee meeting: December 7, 2017 @ 9:00 a.m.
• Next Board of Health meeting: December 14, 2017 @ 6:00 p.m.
• BOH Annual Dinner - 7:00p.m. immediately following the meeting

Correspondence

a) Date: 2017 October 18
Topic: Response to Expert Panel Report on Public Health
From: Chatham-Kent Public Health
To: Minister Hoskins and Boards of Health

Background:
The Expert Panel Report on Public Health made recommendations to strengthen and increase the integration of the public health sector within the rest of Ontario’s health care system. Recommendations included changes to the organizational structure of public health, geographic boundaries, leadership structures and approaches to governance.

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care invited stakeholders to submit feedback and comments until October 31, 2017.

The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) Board of Health approved the submission of an MLHU response at the October 19 meeting and directed staff to work with representatives of the City of London and the County of Middlesex to submit a joint cover letter that introduces the three organizations’ separate responses to the Expert Panel and highlights common concerns.

In the response submitted by Chatham-Kent Public Health, they expressed specific concerns regarding the consultation process, addressing local needs, available resources for amalgamation, integration with community partners outside of health care and governance models.

Recommendation:
Receive.

b) Date: 2017 October 19
Topic: Response to Expert Panel Report on Public Health
From: Peterborough Public Health
To: MOHLTC and Boards of Health

Background:
See item (a) above.

Peterborough Public Health believes that the recommendation would jeopardize relations that the board of health has cultivated with local governments and communities. It recognizes that regionalization of functions could be effective, it would be costly and disruptive and these could be achieved through strategic integration and voluntary amalgamations. They also recognize the challenges of aligning geographic boundaries with health care delivery and that this is not always easy. They suggest improving governance through better training, policy direction and more responsive and proactive member recruitment.

Recommendation:
Receive.

c) Date: 2017 October 23
Topic: Ontario’s Safe and Sensible Framework to Manage Federal Legalization of Cannabis
From: St. Thomas Elgin Public Health
To: The Honourable Yasir Naqvi

Background:
Peterborough Public Health (PPH) congratulated the Attorney General of Ontario on the release of their plans for regulating legalized cannabis. PPH also advocated that the Province continue to use a public health approach and adopt measures such as plain packaging, prohibition of the production and sale of products that are attractive to youth, child-resistant packaging and prohibition of cannabis advertisement.

Elgin St. Thomas Public Health wrote correspondence to support these approaches.

Recommendation:
Receive.

d) Date: 2017 October 25
Topic: Assessment of the Health Menu Choices Act
From: Grey Bruce Health Unit
To: Minister Hoskins and Boards of Health

Background:
Peterborough Public Health requested that the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care communicate how the Healthy Menu Choices Act will be assessed and suggests potential indicators and considerations for the evaluation. The Grey Bruce Health Unit passed a motion supporting this position.

Recommendation:
Receive.

e) Date: 2017 October 25
Topic: Health Promotion Resource Centres
From: Grey Bruce Health Unit
To: Minister Hoskins and Boards of Health

Background:
On March 31, 2017, many agencies funded as Health Promotion Resource Centres were informed that their funding for the Resource Centre would end as of March 2018. These Resource Centres provide crucial support to our local level work in tobacco, alcohol and nutrition, including access to data, research, and evaluation support.

The Grey Bruce Health Unit passed a motion requesting that the province reconsider the decision to eliminate funding for the Health Promotion Resource Centres to be replaced with annual competitive grants.

Recommendation:
Receive.

f) Date: 2017 October 25
Topic: Smoke-Free Ontario Modernization
From: Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit
To: Minister Hoskins and Boards of Health

Background:
On March 15, 2017, the Board of Health for the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit passed a motion to write to the federal government in supporting the approaches identified at the 2016 summit, A Tobacco Endgame for Canada and its target of reducing tobacco use to less than five per cent by 2035. They also communicated with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term care in recommending that modernization of the Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy include the recommendations identified in the Tobacco Endgame strategy.

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit was pleased to see the “Smoke-Free Ontario Modernization Report” and commends the Executive Steering Committee.

Recommendation:
Receive.

g) Date: 2017 October 25
Topic: Potential Health Harms from the Modernization of Alcohol Retail Sales in Ontario
From: Thunder Bay District Health Unit
To: Minister Hoskins and Boards of Health

Background:
The Thunder Bay District Health Unit called on the Government of Ontario to fulfill its commitment to develop a comprehensive strategy to support the safe consumption of alcohol and the modernization of alcohol retail sales.

Recommendation:
Receive.

h) Date: 2017 October 26
Topic: Advocacy for the Nutritious Food Basket
From: Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health
To: Minister Hoskins and Boards of Health

Background:
The Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Board of Health passed motions that recommended the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care provide and support updated nutritious food basket protocols as part of the modernized Standards for Public Health Programs and Services to ensure consistent data collection and methodology for community-level food costing across the province.

The Middlesex-London Health Unit Board of Health made similar recommendations to the above position statement at the November 17th, 2016 Board of Health meeting.

Recommendation:
Receive.

i) Date: 2017 October 26
Topic: KFL&A Response to the Report of the Minister’s Expert Panel on Public Health
From: Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health
To: Minister Hoskins and Boards of Health

Background:
See item (a) above.

The Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington (KFL&A) Board of Health expressed concern regarding the integration of public health into the healthcare system and the disruption of integration. Specific concerns were expressed regarding the loss of focus on the local needs, that amalgamation is not universally appropriate for all health units, a loss of integration with municipalities, effect and costs of leadership changes, and the allocation of municipal funding. There were additional concerns regarding the lack of evidence or analysis on the impact of integration.

Recommendation:
Receive.

j) Date: 2017 October 30
Topic: Algoma PH Response to the Report of the Minister’s Expert Panel on Public Health
From: Algoma Public Health
To: Minister Hoskins and Boards of Health

Background:
See item (a) above.

Algoma Public Health recognizes the need for strengthening Ontario’s public health system but has concerns regarding the Expert Panel’s recommendations. These include governance, erosion of connection to local municipalities, a decreased focus on upstream health and changes to leadership roles.

Recommendation:
Receive.

k) Date: 2017 October 30
Topic: Alcohol Strategy
From: Algoma Public Health
To: Minister Hoskins and Boards of Health

Background:
See item (g) above.

Recommendation:
Receive.

l) Date: 2017 October 31
Topic: Restriction of Marketing and Sale of Caffeinated Energy Drinks to Children and Youth
From: Peterborough Public Health
To: Ministers Hoskins, Hunter and Matthews and Boards of Health

Background:
Peterborough Public Health sent correspondence to the Minsters of Health and Long-Term Care, Education and Advanced Education and Skills Development advocating that further restrictions to the marketing and sale of caffeinated energy drinks to children and youth be considered as work moves forward on this issue.

Recommendation:
Receive.

m) Date: 2017 October 31
Topic: Restriction of Marketing and Sale of Caffeinated Energy Drinks to Children and Youth
From: Peterborough Health
To: Minister Petitpas and Boards of Health

Background:
See item (l) above.
Peterborough Public Health also supports restricting the sale of caffeinated energy drinks to those who are of legal drinking age in their jurisdiction.

Recommendation:
Receive.

n) Date: 2017 October 27
Topic: Sudbury & District Health Unit Response to the Expert Panel on Public Health
From: Sudbury & District
To: Ms. Roselle Martino, Assistant Deputy Minister and Boards of Health

Background:
See item (a) above.

The Sudbury & District Board of Health is concerned about the changes to governance, funding and operational connections with local municipalities, the focus on upstream determinants of health, leadership changes, and responsiveness to local needs. They are also concerned with the practice implications that a change of this magnitude would have on the public health system.

Recommendation:
Receive.

o) Date: 2017 October 23
Topic: Northwestern Health Unit Response to the Expert Panel on Public Health
From: Northwestern Health Unit
To: Minister Hoskins and Boards of Health

Background:
See item (a) above.

The Northwestern Board of Health believes that they assumptions and process for developing the report were flawed and itemized these flawed assumptions. They also felt that regional boards would be less responsive to local need, relationships with community partners would be weakened, there would be less municipal representation, costs of the change would be substantial from financial, organizational and structural perspectives.

The Northwestern Board of Health did note potential benefits including efficiencies in some functions and improved ease of working with LHINS.

Recommendation:
Receive.

p) Date: 2017 October 31
Topic: Porcupine Health Unit Response to the Expert Panel on Public Health
From: Porcupine Health Unit
To: Minister Hoskins and Boards of Health

Background:
See item (a) above.

The Porcupine Board of Health expressed concern regarding municipal connections and local voices, less responsiveness to local needs, lack of representation on boards of health, the potential for a decreased focus on multi-sectorial work, and being prioritized lower than acute care. They also indicated that there is no clear evidence to justify such a change, nor an indication that less disruptive options were considered.

Recommendation:
Receive.

Copies of all correspondence are available for perusal from the Secretary-Treasurer.

Confidential

The Board of Health will move in-camera to discuss matters regarding identifiable individuals and proposed or pending acquisition of land by the Middlesex-London Board of Health and to consider confidential minutes from its October 19, 2017 Board of Health meeting.

Adjournment