socastcmsRssStartOldies 100.9 News staffsocastcmsRssEnd
Less than a year after a voluntary health unit merger, the newly-created Southeast Public Health has announced plans to “refocus rural service delivery,” and close eight satellite offices, including in Trenton and Picton, as of next March.
As previously reported, the Southeast Public Health unit was made up of the agencies formerly known as Hastings Prince Edward Public Health, Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Public Health and the Lanark, Leeds and Grenville District Health Unit.
“The merger has given us time and funding to truly look at how we were delivering programs and services as legacy agencies and to find new and innovative ways to provide programs and services together as Southeast Public Health,” said Dr. Piotr Oglaza, who also serves as medical officer of health and CEO of SEPH.
Over the last several months, the organization said it has been “critically assessing the best way to serve the southeast region as a unified agency.”
In addition to merging teams and harmonizing programs, public health has also been looking at the best way forward to continue providing core, mandated services across the new region, “especially to rural areas.”
Through this process, “a comprehensive assessment of SEPH office locations, service usage and occupancy costs was undertaken” – which has ultimately led to the announcement of office closures.
However, officials also said that community needs, evolution of service delivery models and workforce preservation were evaluated – and findings reportedly indicated that several leased office locations are “underutilized” and cost savings from terminating these leases could be reinvested to fund new and effective ways of offering programs and services.
“This approach will protect core public health programs and services while enhancing the long-term sustainability of our agency,” said SEPH, while confirming the closures.
According to public health, following the assessment, a decision was made to “relinquish leases for offices within proximity – (roughly) 50 kilometres or less – to offices owned in Belleville, Kingston, Brockville and Smith Falls as of March 1, 2026.”
Simply put, this translates to office closures in Almonte, Gananoque, Kemptville, Napanee, Perth, Picton and Trenton. Officials also noted that operations will discontinue in Cloyne where space has also been underutilized and which is described as not conducive to facilitating SEPH programs and services.
Meanwhile, in Bancroft, operations will continue in that leased office due to the significant distance from the other four owned offices.
However, the organization insists this won’t translate to a decrease in services or job losses. In coming months, “rural service strategies” employing evidence-based delivery methods are to be introduced.
“I want to assure you that we remain fully committed to the health and well-being of our rural communities,” said Oglaza. “The decision to close these offices was aimed at optimizing operations while continuing to serve the community’s needs.”
Officials also said they’ll continue to work closely with partners to deliver essential public health programs and services in these areas, and that there are no permanent employee positions being eliminated due to changes.
(Written by: Sarah Hyatt)
