TORONTO, Ont. – Progressive Conservatives in Ontario are calling for changes to the way local health-care money is doled out.

PC Leader Tim Hudak wants to get rid of the 14 Local Health Integration Networks and the Community Care Access Centres, claiming they don’t work.

The PC plan would eliminate 2,000 middle-managers, and according to Hudak, save at least $800-million.

“This is not about a new coat of paint on an old system. It’s fundamental reform to take out layers of bureaucracy [and] invest in patient-care instead,” Hudak said.

The Conservatives’ health-care reform plan ran into some skeptics during Question Period, including Premier Dalton McGuinty.

Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews said the PC’s health-care record speaks for itself.

“They closed hospitals, they fired 6,000 nurses, they had the worst surgical wait times,” Matthews said

Hudak said he wants to hire more doctors and nurses, and turn up to 40 existing hospital corporations into health hubs run by volunteer boards. The latter will be charged with deciding how the money is spent.