Chatham-Kent's Public Health Unit is facing a five year funding freeze after the province released a new formula.
General Manager of Health and Family Services April Rietdyk says the model is set up to ensure regions get equal treatment, but eight regions were getting less.
The rest including Chatham-Kent are being frozen until those eight catch up.
"We're beginning to look at all of our programs all of our services, where we can find efficiencies," she says. "How to partner with all of our community partners to maintain services."
Public Health Nurses are heading to mediation later this month after working for almost two years without a contract.
The health unit only got the word from the province just over a month ago, so they are still crunching the numbers.
She wouldn't comment on the possibility of staff cuts but says each position will be considered especially when vacancies occur.
"As a board and as a management team we'll look at attrition and retirement and try and do the best we can with every vacancy that comes up," she says. "Really look planning and evaluation of all our programs and services."
