Health

Recent Posts

Health unit continues inspections and tracking as braces for fall season

In the face of the pandemic, the transition to fall represents a pivotal moment on many levels. The most significant is the prediction of a potential second wave of the COVID-19 virus spreading. Students from kindergarten to university and college will be returning to the classroom either face-to-face or online. School boards and educators are working diligently to ensure students and teachers will be safe. For the rest of us, it has been around two months since the provincial government slowly transitioned into Stage 3 of its Economic Recovery plan. Continue Reading →

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Major funding announcement plus sage advice from hospital CEO

There is a different energy when the premier and the minister of health show up to a funding announcement. To have Doug Ford and Christine Elliot, along with local MPP David Piccini, handing out major money for Northumberland Hills Hospital and Campbellford Memorial Hospital, is exciting. After years of penny-pinching, cutbacks, and efficiencies, everyone from the cleaners to the board of directors takes notice. But as with any funding announcement, there are a lot of numbers to sort through. What sounds like one thing is often not so clear. Continue Reading →

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An inside look at one local nurse’s world during the pandemic

This is the second of a two-part podcast taking us inside Northumberland Hills Hospital to look at what it is like to be a nurse working during a deadly pandemic. The first episode deals with a protest held on June 19, 2020, outside the office of MPP David Piccini in Port Hope. Please listen to both episodes. Driving throughout Northumberland County, there are many lawn signs praising the work of frontline workers, especially those in healthcare. Many people, including Premier Doug Ford, have called them heroes. Continue Reading →

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Nurses protest outside MPP’s office seeking right to negotiate contract, says union leader

This is the first of a two-part podcast looking at the issues facing local nurses at Northumberland Hills Hospital. The first episode deals with a protest held on June 19, 2020, outside the office of MPP David Piccini in Port Hope. The second episode goes inside the hospital to look at what it is like to be a nurse working during a deadly pandemic. Please listen to both episodes. 

Driving throughout Northumberland County, there are many lawn signs praising the work of frontline workers, especially those in healthcare. Many people, including Premier Doug Ford, have called them heroes. Continue Reading →

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Local Chief Medical Officer gives timely update as province relaxes rules

It is now an all too familiar mantra: physical distance, wash your hands, stay home, wear a mask. But, there is a lot more to it than just repeating those guidelines. Businesses are reopening. We are being given more chances to get outside and enjoy nature. This is something important especially for those who feel cooped up for the past two months. Continue Reading →

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Re-opening the economy a delicate balance, says local MPP

 

The other day I was looking out my window only to see a local construction crew working on a roof. None of them were six feet apart. There was no physical distancing. The same day, I received an email from a national grocery chain heralding the expansion of hours, allowing more people into his company’s stores, along with the opening of meat counters and bakeries. Yet, scanning social media, there is a wave of people expressing their concerns that we are reopening too quickly. Continue Reading →

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Community preparing for mental health issues related to COVID-19

More and more we are hearing about the mental health echo. This is the effect of the pandemic on people’s psyche. The physical distancing, isolation, and other measures are placing unprecedented anxiety and stress on our lives. Mental health services in Northumberland are expanding. We have watched as new and existing organizations work hard to meet the needs of our community. Continue Reading →

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Mental health tips for living through the pandemic from Northumberland Community Counselling Centre

 

Stay home. Physical distancing. Isolate yourself. These are the mantras of the COVID-19 pandemic we hear from officials and leaders every day. Yet, for many, especially children and the elderly, the inability to connect with others can be stressful. Continue Reading →

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Chief Medical Officer for Northumberland gives extensive interview about Covid-19

Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit Chief Medical Officer Dr. Lynn Noseworthy provides timely, relevant information about Covid-19 and its impact on Northumberland County in this 50-minute interview. She addresses everything from a clear understanding of the virus to preventative measures. Most critically, she gives an outline of the steps people should take if they suspect they are infected and need help. For more information go to the health unit’s website. There will you find out more information about the number of cases of Covid-19, along with an accurate step-by-step if you think you are sick with the virus and other good resources. Continue Reading →

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Members of the new Ontario Health Team explain impact on health care in Northumberland

Our local health care system is about to go through a seismic transformation. Two weeks ago, the provincial government announced Northumberland was chosen to be one of 24 pilot programs to completely overhaul the way health care is delivered to us. The new model is called an Ontario Health Team. The phrases that keep coming up in all the announcements focus on several keys: collaboration, patient care,  and better navigate the system. All of it with the goal of improving the outcomes and addressing wait times and hallway medicine – the two clichés often associated with the issues facing the overstressed health care system. Continue Reading →

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