Last month Northumberland Hills Hospital released its plan for balancing its budget — based on the recommendations made by a 28 member Citizens’ Advisory Panel created for the hospital by MASS LBP.

One of the most ambitious and thorough public consultation processes conducted by an Ontario hospital, the NHH Citizens' Advisory Panel was charged with identifying more than $1 million in savings and met on five Saturdays throughout the fall to determine the hospital’s core services.

Panelists heard more than a dozen presentations by stakeholders, medical staff, local citizens and outside experts, and ultimately evaluated the work and value of thirty-one health services provided by NHH.

Members of the CAP were selected by civic lottery. 5,000 invitations were mailed to randomly selected households throughout west Northumberland. One in twelve households received a letter and an invitation to nominate one member of their household to volunteer to serve on the Panel. Current staff, volunteers or physicians with privileges at NHH were not eligible to participate.You can read more about the CAP process and its recommendations by  downloading the report.