The Wellington-DufferinGuelph Public Health Unit has had to revisit its 2006 budget because of a cap on public health spending the provincial Ministry of Health and Long Term Care announced in March.

In December, the local board of health approved a budget involving a 20.8 per cent increase from last year's spending but it has since been told that provincial funding has been capped based on a new funding formula.

Funding for public health at the provincial level increased to 65 per cent of a health unit's total budget, but only if the unit's budget growth remained within five per cent of the previous year's budget.

The five per cent cap was not clarified until March, three months after the local budget was approved.

Wayne Orr, the health unit's administration director, said senior management have since reviewed the approved budget, found savings and revised it, with only a 6.47 per cent hike from last year.

He said more adjustments to the budget could make it fit within the Ministry's 5% target, but only if the health unit dropped plans to fill three "critical positions."

In a report to the board of health, Dr. Troy Herrick, Medical Officer of Health, said that without the addition "of three critical managerial positions, the effectiveness and accountability will be severely hampered."

The three critical positions identified will provide infrastructure to supply the mandatory health programs.

"We will be hiring for the adult/youth clinical services, child health program and an IT manager." Mr. Orr said.

He also indicated the health unit is not certain, at this time, whether the province will accept the 6.47 per cent increase, because it has been told that funding for budget submissions within the cap and received on time will likely be approved before any requests above the cap.

According to the report, Ministry staff couldn't answer what process would be used to determine who was eligible for what, but a list of factors for being above the cap, was provided and included: whether or not there would be layoffs, the impact on the community, the recommendations of a review board and urgent onetime requests.

Areas in the revised budget that were cut included a hiring plan to fill currently vacant positions and slashing operating costs by more than $700,000.

The impact of reducing the budget will be felt by not being able to make improvements or expansions to services. Planned improvements that will not be funded in 2006 include:

 Expanding programs to more elementary schools to address the growing concern of childhood obesity and inactivity in school-age children.

 No additional tobacco enforcement officers to meet the obligations under the Smoke-free Ontario Act.

As well, some existing services will be reduced or eliminated:

 Oral health screening won't be conducted in low-risk schools.

 Services in preschool speech and language will be reduced, along with child assessments in Dufferin.

 Services in infant and toddler screening, breastfeeding and parent support services will be reduced.

Dr. Herrick said the Board had two alternatives: ask municipalities to pay a greater share of public health costs or alter the approved budget.

The province hasn't indicated when a final decision based on the revised budget will be made.