November 16, 2022
London and the surrounding area are growing, and health care needs are increasing and changing as a result. We see this every day in our patient volumes and emergency department visits. LHSC’s Master Plan will be our blueprint for how we deliver health care to meet the needs of a growing and changing population in 10, 20 and 30 years. It’s the first step in a process to redesign how we deliver care within and outside of our walls, including the physical structure of our buildings.
For the past several months, as part of the first phase in the development of our Master Plan, we have been meeting and talking with our partners about the future of health care. We engaged nearly 3,000 people from across the communities we serve, 36 partner organizations in health care, research, education, municipal leadership and community support, as well as more than 1,000 members of Team LHSC. We are also conducting comprehensive research and modelling, including population projections, economic forecasts, technological outlooks, national and international trends and environmental impacts.
We are now in a position to share what we have heard and what we have learned so far, and how this input has already shaped our planning and the next phases of development.
Key Themes
We are embarking on a visionary and ambitious journey that will reimagine, redesign and redevelop health care. A journey of this nature cannot be undertaken without the input of you, our key partners and the communities we serve.
There are five key themes to what we heard:
 | System Integration and Communication
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 | Enhancing Accessibility and Inclusivity
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 | Wait Times and Staffing Shortages
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 | Mental Health and Reducing Stigma
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 | Preparing for Future Health Needs
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Next Steps
This feedback has been invaluable to the development of the Master Plan. But the work does not stop here. Master Planning is a journey – one that offers a unique opportunity to build the world-class, inclusive health system that the community expects and deserves. Our commitment is steadfast as our planning and research continue with the following steps:
- Research and engagement: The magnitude of change required is significant, but we’re prepared to undertake it. We are using our planning grant from the Ministry of Health – funding that is specific to Master Planning – to conduct robust research and engagement. That includes continued engagement with you, our teams and our partners, and focusing heavily on innovations that have been successful in other health systems, nearby and around the world. Health care is a human-to-human, in-person business. To meet this moment, we will work with – and in some cases, visit – health care systems to collect the most innovative ideas and system transformations, and bring them home. We will leverage the best of the best as we redesign and redevelop our system of care.
- Grouping of services: Over the coming weeks, our team will be sharing more information about how services will be grouped and organized in the future. This new model will help ensure the region has a modern hospital system where patients receive the highest quality of care delivered by the best people, resulting in better health outcomes. This is going to mean some changes in the groupings of how our programs and services are offered today. As these plans move ahead, we’ll be continuing to consult with the community and keep you informed.
- Options for our future facilities: In early 2023, we will have options for how our facilities may look in the future. We will be sharing these options with you for additional feedback.
- Master Plan submission: Our final Master Plan will be submitted to the Ministry of Health and Ontario Health in July 2023.
Stay tuned for updates and opportunities to engage with us.
Thank you for reimagining and redesigning the future of health care. Together, we are building the best possible system of care for our parents, children and grandchildren.
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