BROADEN WHO CAN BE ON HAMILTON’S BOARD OF HEALTH

Thanks to the The Hamilton Spectator for printing Kim Perrotta’s Letter-to-the-Editor on April 13 re: Hamilton’s decision to include community representatives on its Board of Health (re: April 3rd article, Another step toward ‘good place’ in Hamilton public health reform.)

BROADEN WHO CAN BE ON HAMILTON’S BOARD OF HEALTH

It is wonderful news that Hamilton city councillors have agreed to broaden the membership of the city’s board of health to include representatives of the community. Having worked for Toronto Public Health, which has been guided for many years by a board of health that includes community representatives, I can attest to the valuable perspective and advice that community representatives can bring to the table. However, I am concerned that the value of this representation will be diminished if council decides to limit membership to “regulated health professionals such as nurses and doctors” as proposed by Coun. Brad Clark. Health-care workers are trained to diagnose, manage and treat individual patients; they are not necessarily trained to manage population health.

A robust body of evidence indicates that population health is impacted more by social and material circumstances such as income, housing, occupation, transportation, gender and ethnicity, than by lifestyle choices within the control of individuals. For this reason, it is essential for public health and the city to include people on the board of health who can provide perspectives, experience and expertise from and about populations within our community that may not be adequately reflected by councillors, staff or “regulated health professionals.” We must address the needs of young single mothers, people who cannot find homes, newcomers from countries where there is conflict, adults who have health challenges that make it impossible to work, and older people living alone in their homes. In other words, we need perspectives, expertise, and experience that goes well beyond that of traditionally trained health professionals.

Kim Perrotta, Dundas