The response from the community to the Health Centre has been overwhelming. The $2.4 million dollar project included $1.8 million dollars in renovations and equipment. Renovations were completed in April 2004. On February 20 2008, at the Annual General Meeting, the BHSC paid $75,355.07 to complete the municipal loan.

BACKGROUND
In August 2001, a yearlong feasibility study by a group of concerned Rotarians culminated in a formal proposal on community health care to the Council of the Municipality of Brighton. The study drew heavily on the work of Dr. Duncan Sinclair and Dr. Ruth Wilson, as well as extensive investigations of the pilot project in Tweed, the Campbellford Health facilities, and meetings with health organizations in the Hastings Prince Edward area, and the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge areas. The study recommended establishing a Board of Directors to oversee the development of a community oriented, broad based Community Health Services Centre. This recommendation was given unanimous endorsement in principle by the Brighton Municipal Council.

As an immediate result, advertisements were placed seeking individuals willing to commit their time and talents to the creation of such a facility. In November 2002, the Board of Directors for a Charitable Foundation was created and began work on designing the Centre.

GENERAL SITUATION
Solutions to community health needs must progressively be met from within the resources of the community and by more efficient use of the resources currently provided through government sources. Clearly, solutions cannot involve simply throwing more money at the problem.

The ability of smaller, rural communities to attract health providers is increasingly limited for a number of reasons. This situation will not change in future if we continue on the present course. Existing rural doctors are reaching either retirement age, or facing burnout because of increasing caseloads, increasing population demands and increasing demands for better health care.

Delivery of medical services through hospitals or emergency wards is prohibitively expensive. All measures to provide these services through subordinate or support facilities are imperative if we are to maximize the efficiency of hospitals. Efficient health services delivery in future will require greater use of technology and a greater sharing of resources and administration among health care providers.

BRIGHTON SITUATION
Brighton, with a population in excess of 10,000, has three full time doctors. Provincial standards indicate a need for six. In September 2003, the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care designated Brighton as an “underserviced area”.

The existing doctors are unable, for the most part, to accept new patients. Increasing workloads are having a detrimental effect on their quality of life and their willingness to simply “work harder” to offset system demands.

The most recent census data indicates that 34% of Brighton’s population is in the 55+ category, versus a Canadian average of 20.6%. The fact that Brighton is promoted as a retirement destination will only increase this imbalance in years ahead.

Brighton is in somewhat of a ‘no man’s land’ in terms of economic and political influence. Located at the east end of Northumberland County, Brighton sees political power concentrated in the more populous centers to the west. The natural market and medical services flow is towards the east and the Municipalities of Quinte West and Belleville. Situated at the extreme western end of this sphere of influence, Brighton often fails to receive the recognition that its particular needs demand.

These factors indicate the need for a community developed and operated facility to provide health services for the community. The facility is a joint public/private partnership of various stakeholders. The facility will operate in a carefully developed network of partnerships that cut across all traditional political and market boundaries, and that are based on the most efficient use of limited resources.

BRIGHTON VISION
The Brighton Health Services Centre was created to develop a health centre in Brighton that encompasses core family health providers in one location by 2004. The facility provides access to primary and specialist health services, health promotion and disease prevention organizations. The continuum of services extends from pre-natal to geriatric care, excluding long-term nursing home situations.

The Health Centre has a Family Health Team area for five physicians, a nurse practitioner, two registered nurses, a dietitian and a phlebotomist. The Centre also has a YMCA, and Ontario Early Years Centre, the Lakeshore–Northumberland Hospice and the South East Community Access Care. The facility is capable of fibre optic level communication technology, has a common secure access to patient records, a common reception and administration area and common accounting resources where practical. Equipment is superior to that available to individual doctors due to the economies of sharing.

Each physician has a fully equipped office, two fully equipped examination rooms, a reception area, a common waiting area and access to a minor treatment room. Computer record systems, photocopy and fax equipment will be supplied to each physician.

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