There could be a dramatic change in the way health care is delivered in Petrolia.
Bluewater Health, the Central Lambton Family Health Team and the municipality will pursue the possible establishment of a one-stop health-care hub for the area's aging population.
Town councillor and health team board chair Mary-Pat Gleeson says they already have a proposed location.
"We do own some property around the Family Health Team," says Gleeson. "I can't speak for the CEE Hospital Foundation but they also own some property, so there's land available to us so that's where we would start."
The health hub could include housing, education, research facilities and long-term and palliative care.
"We need to bring in the community and say, 'Is this what you'd like? How should it look?' We know that having research and education facilities will be extremely helpful because that will bring in the talent. We have to have the facilities to address the issues that seniors face," says Gleeson.
Town council is set to vote on the proposal December 12. The Bluewater Health board approved $442,000 Wednesday to pay for most of the cost of consultants needed to develop a master plan.
It's hoped the plan will be submitted to the health ministry for funding next October.
