Thank you for this question.
What you described really highlights what I think is the next challenge in children's services planning by the provinces. That is to really make sure we are using existing capacity in the most effective and efficient way, so that we limit children travelling to an urban tertiary or quaternary children's hospital. It goes without saying that some children will have to, if they have a condition that really mandates the type of specialization that's uniquely available in children's hospitals, and then we have to have systems to get them there. However, a lot of the care that's provided in children's hospitals is care that could be safely and effectively delivered in community settings.
What's required for that to happen?
First, we need strengthened partnerships with the regional health authorities. Second, we need to have codesign of pediatric health services planning so there is consideration for having a certain number of pediatric beds and a certain skill set among nurses and pediatricians and allied health within those community centres to provide the type of care, such as surgery, that a child in those centres might need to access.