Saturday's Free Press

Ah, what a beautiful weekend!  I could take a whole summer of weekends like this!  I spent yesterday morning in the bright sunshine, enjoying the company of my squirrel and bird companions reading the Saturday edition of the London Free Press.  I usually turn to the LFP with my coffee for my daily dose of hatred, injustice, and foolishness, but this day -- all the news that was fit to print seemed to jive well with just the kind of weekend this is.

First to the editorials:

Henry Eastabrook, an outreach worker at London InterCommunity Health Centre, and a gentleman I've had the pleasure of meeting on a number of occassions, had a fine letter: "Beg your pardon, but panhandling is legit"

Regarding the article Brakes hit on begging (June 8).

We are deeply concerned about the many local expressions of fear, anger, resentment and confusion that have surfaced regarding the ancient practice of begging or mendicancy in our community.

Mendicancy has been a legitimate form of employment globally for thousands of years, although it has risen significantly since the emergence in the 18th century of industrialization and its cousin, free market capitalism.

With this knowledge of history, we urge those who feel particularly distressed about being asked to give up a few coins to fellow community members who are mendicants to kindly consider the following points.

Given the worsening divide between the wealthiest and the most poverty-stricken in our times, we have no reason to believe bylaws restricting mendicancy will have a positive effect on either side. Joblessness rates in this region have continued to grow. Meanwhile, the social safety net has shrunk to near non-­existence. There is no evidence that cutting provincial welfare rates or eliminating programs that support vulnerable people creates employment opportunities.

The hue and cry for reduced taxes mean the probability of improvements to our social safety net are nil. As we grow increasingly under the influence, politically, economically, socially and culturally of global free markets there is less likelihood that mendicancy will disappear and greater likelihood that more of our fellow citizens will become disabled by chronic joblessness, homelessness and resultant stigma.

Understanding the facts leaves us with two options: support your fellow Londoners who are panhandling (very few of whom are either violent or aggressive and all of whom would prefer a more legitimate means of sustenance) or alter your voting patterns, shop locally and insist politicians and policy makers enhance our social safety net.

Henry Eastabrook

Outreach worker

Poverty, Homelessness and Options Team

London InterCommunity Health Centre

Next up, in response to the last Saturday's front page article by Patrick Maloney, "City hall has bigger issues to fry", and two letters of the 14th which were critical of Coun. Stephen Orser's focus on backyard chickens, there were three very well written arguments which are supportive of permitting urban coops.  Thanks Gina Barber, Roberta Cory, and Larissa Gerow.  I should mention another letter from Friday's issue from Vera van Diepen: "...is shouldn't be a huge surprise that more Londoners want to stay away from buying eggs full of antibiotics from chickens that live tortured lives."

Serena Moro hit the nail right on the head with "Sex editorial got it wrong", responding to John Chambers': Gov't should stay out of our bedrooms.

"This is not, as Chambers suggests, about “consenting adults.” Chambers fails to address — or chooses to ignore — the root causes of prostitution and the socio-economic conditions that force women (and men) into prostitution, often at a young age. Drugs and alcohol are likely involved, as are abuse and male dominance."

Right on Serena!  I invite anyone to look at the facts:

Prostitution - The Facts (The oldest profession - or the oldest oppression? The facts on prostitution speak for themselves)

Normalising prostitution normalises an extreme form of sexual subordination and objectification; it legitimises the existence of an underclass of women and it reinforces male dominance over women.

I also feel the need to give a nod to Sheryl Rooth, who took exception to Joseph Couture's comments in "The add smile wouldn't hurt drivers on LTC". While she agreed with nearly everything that he said, she did take exception to one statement: "Let me fill you in on something. Those of us who ride the bus do so because we are poor and, in case you haven't noticed, we are especially poor in these tough times." Her letter sought to destigmatize bus transit and encourage better treatment of passengers on LTC because it's the right thing to do!

And while we are on the subject of the LTC, isn't it nice to see Deal to make LTC 100% accessible by 2012?(okay, so who was taking a nap and left in the "10%" typo that appeared in the print edition?)  This project is ahead of shedule, and saved $630K!  All good news.

Joe Belanger wrote a kind and thoughtful editorial piece about the situation in his Old East Village neighbourhood: "City's downtrodden deserve help in a more discrete way".  I particularly admired how he appologetically began his column: "I'm about to piss off a lot of people I admire and respect."

I loved the photo of Ryan Craven, et al. illustrating "Exhaust-free fun good for your health".

(This is the second time I've seen his smiling face in the LFP in as many weeks.  I gotta meet this guy!)

Car Free Festival aims to promote the environmental and health benefits of walking, cycling and taking the bus. For more information, go to carfreefest.ca.

NEIGHBOURHOOD CAR FREE FESTIVALS
Kipps Lane community fair, Aug. 20
Old East Village block party, July 16
Wortley Village Car Free, Sept. 11
Summerside Sept. 4

DOWNTOWN CAR FREE FESTIVALS
Where: Dundas St. between Wellington and Ridout streets
When:
June 18-19: Teaming with the Fringe Festival to show snippets of different productions between musical acts.
July 1: Canada Day theme Aug. 6-7: Celebrating the city's diversity.
Sept. 17-18: Teaming with Doors Open London with a focus on Dundas St.

Even the HOMES section had good news!  Dulux Adding Colour to People's Lives program will infuse $1M (the equivalent of about 20,000 gallons of paint) in paint to beautify public structures as well as the buildings of community, charity and non-profit organizations.  www.addingcolour.ca

And finally, I spied a tiny bordered ad in Friday's edition:

AIM HEALTH GROUP WISHES TO

ANNOUNCE THAT

Dr. Emad Henein

Will be relocating his Family Practice to

320 Adelaide Street South, London, ON

as of June 28, 2011

CURRENT AND NEW PATIENTS

WELCOME

Phone: 519-668-3969

The Alarming Facts about Opioid Misuse

Avoiding Abuse, Achieving a Balance: Tackling the Opioid Public Health Crisis
A 46 page report from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario

The report includes THIRTY-ONE recommendations
Here's a brief snippet:

The popular prescription drug OxyContin (oxycodone) is the most easily procured opioid for non-medical use in Toronto’s street drug scene.7 There has been a steep and unprecedented increase in the number of individuals seeking treatment for oxycodone addiction since controlled-release (long-acting) oxycodone products became available in 1995. The number of admissions at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) MedicalWithdrawal Management Service seeking treatment for opioid detoxification related to controlled release oxycodone went from 3.8% of opioid admissions in 2000 to 55.4% in 2004. There has been a steep and unprecedented increase in the number of individuals seeking treatment for oxycodone addiction since controlled-release (long-acting) oxycodone products became available in 1995.

CAMH found that among Ontario high school students, one fifth reported using opioids or at least one prescription drug without a doctor’s prescription in 2009, compared to only 12% of students surveyed who reported smoking cigarettes.

Deaths due to oxycodone have risen from 35 in 2002 to 119 in 2006, a rise of 240%. The steep increase in the diversion of these drugs to the illicit drug market is also troubling.

This public health crisis will continue to escalate if the contributing problems are not addressed.(emphasis added)

Here's a older article speaking directly about London's Oxy issues.

Solutions to oxycodone addiction

Provided by: Sun Media
Written by: RANDY RICHMOND
Oct. 31, 2007

While the price of ending the abuse of oxycodone-based painkiller drugs in London could be in the millions of dollars, the payoff, too, could be huge.

 

Global Health Discussion Forum: Health Inequalities Among Canada's Most Vulnerable

Session 10A: Working with Marginalized Communities 
Tuesday, April 19, 2011  6:00 p.m. MSB 148 (UWO) 

"Health Inequalities Among Canada's Most Vulnerable"

Dr. Jeff Turnbull CM, MD, MEd, FRCP
President of the Canadian Medical Association
Chief of Staff The Ottawa Hospital 

Jeff Turnbull  practices internal medicine both at The Ottawa Hospital and at several shelters associated with Ottawa Inner City Health.

http://www.schulich.uwo.ca/GlobalHealth/documents/SpeakerSeries/Global%20Health%20Discussion%20Forum%20April%2019-2.pdf

Physician Shortage Continues in London

Due to a continuing physician shortage in emergency rooms and the urgent care centre in London, and province-wide, St. Joseph’s Health Care London’s Urgent Care Centre (UCC) temporary hours of 8am-4pm, 7 days a week, will remain in effect until May 31, 2011.
http://www.thehealthline.ca/displayArticle.aspx?id=2219

More Info on Federal Disability Tax Credit

Where to Get the Forms
I picked up a stack of T2201 "Medical and Disability-Related Information and Forms" at Canada Revenue Agency (SW corner of Queens and Talbot - 1st floor) this morning.  (What a gorgeous day for a stroll - WOW! Can spring be here???).  Since they couldn't spare as many as I would have liked to have on hand, I also ordered some from CRA @ 1-800-959-2221, and expect to have a stack of them delivered to the Food Bank as well.

You may also print off a copy of the T2201 HERE. It's 12 pages.

Your Member of Parliament's office may also have a supply.

Will my Doctor Charge Me to Fill out the Form?
Probably - this is an uninsured service, so not covered by OHIP. The College of Physicians & Surgeons has this to say:
"Physicians should refer to the Ontario Medical Association document, Physician’s Guide to Third-Party & Other Uninsured Services, for the recommended schedule of fees. Physicians are obligated to let patients know if they will be charging more than this guide."
According to the Ontario Medical Association's Physician’s Guide to Third-Party & Other Uninsured Services :$35.21 + tax is the recommended fee.
It's best to simply call ahead and ask.

I talked to a staff member at Irene Mathyssen's office this morning, and she told me that you can include a letter with this form and ask that previous years' tax returns be reassessed back to the date of onset of disability indicated by your doctor's certificate, up to 10 years.

More NEWS on the subject:

Disability tax credits under investigation

CBC News

February 9, 2011

Company using unqualified doctors to cash in on tax relief

Toronto Star

February 9, 2011

Finding a family doc in London

If you have a family doctor, count your blessings!  Despite all the jolly news the Liberals spout about how they are addressing the shortages, it's still VERY tough!

Here's what I have learned:

Health Care Connect: Health Care Connect helps Ontarians who are without a family health care provider (family doctor or nurse practitioner) to find one. People without a family health care provider are referred to a family doctor or a nurse practitioner who is accepting new patients in their community.
So, I called Health Care Connect, to find out how this system works.  (Call me a cynic, but it sounded too good to be true)  I was told that there is no guarantee that this system will find you a doctor, but registrants are put on a list according to priority.  So if  you are registering, make certain to list every single problem from scalp to toenails.  If you have already registered, you can call and update your file if you left out any health problems.

The London & District Academy of Medicine keeps an updated list of doctors accepting applications for new patients.  Expect to be treated with suspicion when you call the GateKeepers (aka: the doc's support staff) to inquire about application. I suspect this has to do with the staffs' already feeling overwhelmed, and fear that new patients mean further strain on the resources of the practice. This is just my opinion I will have to do some more study into this.

The Academy provides this further advice on finding a family doctor:
"London, like many cities and towns in Ontario, does not have enough family doctors. Very few are taking new patients. From time to time, the Academy becomes aware of new doctors in the London area and can help patients by providing names and contact information. If there are not any doctors on our list, then a number of strategies can be tried to locate a family doctor.
(1) Ask your friends or relatives if they will recommend you to their doctor.
(2) If your doctor has retired or moved, he or she may have made arrangements for another doctor to help care for their patients.
(3) Attend a walk-in clinic. If you see the same doctor a few times there, they may agree to see you as a regular patient in their practice.
(4) Try the Yellow Pages under "Physicians and Surgeons" and call as many as you can to obtain care. If you require urgent care, the emergency departments of the hospitals will, of course, see you."
http://www.ldam.ca/InformationCentre/FrequentlyAskedQuestions/tabid/37/Default.aspx

I should probably expain why this particular MOHLTC news release  was a serious disappointment to me. 

1. You'll notice, the Family Health Team isn't named

2. The Family Health Team is NOT taking 10,000 patients, as touted in the news release. The GateKeeper told me that they were accepting a much, much, MUCH lower number than this, and that would be over the length of a year, and patients would be chosen by lottery. (she claimed this was as per College policy....uh...really?)

3. The Family Health Team's GateKeeper would NOT fax me an application form, stating that applicants must come in to the office (which is NOT centrally located) even though I used my best social-worky skills to advocate for people who are impoverished, and the bus fare would be a financial hardship to travel out to the clinic to 'enter a lottery', or have disabilities which limit ability to access transportation. 

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario does have a policy around new patients.  Here is the most salient part:

Physicians who are able to accept new patients into their practice should use a first-come, first-served approach.

It is not appropriate for physicians to screen potential patients because it can compromise public trust in the profession, especially at a time when access to care is a concern. Screening may also result in discriminatory actions against potential patients.

Physicians must abide by the Ontario Human Rights Code, which prohibits discrimination on the following grounds: race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation (which includes gender identity and expression), age, marital status, family status, and disability. The Human Rights Code applies to the provision of all services, including medical care. Failure to abide by the Human Rights Code may result in a proceeding before the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal. It may also result in disciplinary action before the College.

Here's the Policy Statement from the CPSO.