HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1996-12-04, Page 3Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday, December 4, 1996 — Page 3
Committee wants people
to write individual letters
commenting on options
•from page 1
able; and a local doctor to
talk about the impacts.
Option four will he pre-
sented and discussed as
the preferred option.
Steffler said there will
he a handout including the
addresses of people that
ci-tizens should write to
co in in enting un the
options.
"We want people to
write individual letters,"
said Steffler. "The prob-
lem is when people sign'
petitions or form letters it
gets looked at as 'basically
all those people are saying
the same thing so there's
no sense reading them'.
That's why we want every
person to hand write their
own;.feet way they'll have
to read every one of
them."
DH(' Open Houses
Steffler said she under-
stands that the process
used for the DHC open
house is two secUuns,�v ith
the first having two OHC
members talk about the
criteria and process to
come up with the report,
and 15 minutes allotted for
questions. The second ses-
sion is with stations set up
for people to talk about the
options, ask questions and
voice concerns.
A sheet of paper is to
he handed in at the end
with the person listing
his/her viewpoint on the
strengths and weaknesses
of each uI the options. and
then to prrontiie options
one, two and three.
"They've tried to tell us
we're riot going to he vot-
ing. hut I'm sorry, when 1
have to priuntr/c my
options ... that is voting.
So. it's sort of what you
call a whitewash vote that
they can use against you'
after," said Steffler.
"That's why we're sug-
gesting option four so that
people will vote for and
add' it to that sheet - the
option that we prefer. And
that will he our only pref-
erence
The DHC' meeting in
Wtngharn is scheduled for
Thursday, Dec. 12, from 4
to 9 p rn. at the Sacred
Heart church hall.
All cravens are urged to
pick up a copy of the DHC
report, study it. attend the
action committee meeting
in Lucknow on Dec. 11.
and he prepared for the
DHC meeting the next
day.
Copies of the report are
available (no charge) at
We represent all residents: Cunningham
*from page 1
Coun. Tom
Cunningham of Hullett
Twp. agreed and said it is
important for the county to
send a clear message it
does not support the clo-
sure of any hospital -- he ,it
strategic or otherwise.
"We represent all
(Huron County residents),
not the commission," said
Cunningham./
With Murray clearly
frustrated by the discus-
sion, Warden Bill Clifford,
a member of the Huron -
Perth Districtq, Health
Council, took control to
explain the proposed letter
to government is only to
show supportP for all hos i-
' tals, whereas it will be the
opinions of Huron County
residents at upcoming
open houses which will
really spell the future of
hospitals.
Coun. Bill Carnochan
of Tuckersmith, another
member of the health
council, agreed with
Clifford and said it is fine
for everyone to scream
about maintaining the sta-
tus quo, but in the Tight of
the hudget cuts it is not
realistically possible.
He said if all the hospi-
tals stay open in the wake
of the 18 to 25 per cent
cuts, people can not expect
to get proper care at those
hospitals.
"The status quo will not
go on," he said explaining
that the three options
already presented by the
task force were not based
on individual whims, but
were the result of exten-
sive telephone interviews
and focus groups in 10
communities.
"Thirteen people can't
do it all," said Camochan.
"These are the sugges-
tions, if anybody has a
better idea, bring it for-
ward. Don't just say save
them all."
The resolution was
approved without changes
and will be forwarded to
Premier Mike Harris,
Minister of Health Jim
Wilson, Huron MPP Helen
Johns and the Huron -Perth
District Health Council.
To inform residents of
the three options -estab-
lished by the task force
and to obtain feedback,
open houses are scheduled
from Dec. 2 Until Dec. 11
in 10 communities across
Huron and Perth.
A preferred option will
he chosen by mid-
December, in early
January a tabloid ncwspa-
Public can review Grey -Bruce
hospital report on Dec. 12
by Tracey Doerr
The District Health_
Council of Grey Bruce.
itas decided to let the
public review the Health
and Hospital
Restructuring
Committee's final report
before council takes any
action on it.
Peter Bantock, project
manager, said the council
reversed its decision not
to release the report
because of the number of
reouests it received from
the public.
The DHC also granted
permission for an extend-
ed deadline. The HHRC
will submit its final
report Dec. 12, instead of
Dec. 3 at a meeting of the
DHC. The meeting will
be open to tt\e public and
will likely be held in the
Owen Sound area.
Bantock said the DHC
is trying to find a loca-
tion that will accommo-
date a. large crowd. Still,
seating will be limited,
he said. •
"The committee will
present the, report to
council, who will table it,
so it then becomes a pub-
lic document. It will then
be released to the public
for review. The DHC will
accept written submis-
sions and will have until
February to deliberate the
report," said Bantock.
Bantock said the DHC
can accept the report in
its entirety, in part, or it
can reject it altogether.
That decision, and the
report, will be submitted
to the Ministry of Health
for comments early in the
new year. The final deci-
sion will be made by the
Health Services
Restr-ucturing
Committee.
The HHRC process in
b detailing a final report
for the DHC is coming
along well, said chair of
the HHRC steering com-
mittee Dr. Hugh Rose.
The meetings are held
incamera, therefore Rose
could not comment on
the actions of the com-
mittee.
The 23 -member Com-
mittee is still .discussing
the financial aspects of
the report.
per will he circulated to
inform residents about the
preferred option, and from
Jan. 9 until Jan. 21, more
open houses will be held
to further talk about the
preferred option and to
obtain feedback from the
public.
In late January, the task
force will select a final
option and begin planning
for the implementation of
the restructured configura-
tion of hospitals in the
• 'county.
•.,,,,„..,.,,..,, ,, . ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,.,,,..,.,..,,.,„,.„.,...„...e.,...„.n,._.„,.„. •,.„
. SAVE OUR
HOSPITAL
Wingham and District Hospital
will it be there for you? ,
Wingham Hospital - Option #2
Option #2 - DEFINITION IS
A PRIMARY Y H0 PITAL
with acute and chronic beds, but no surgery
Are these services really adequate
for your area? ,
*YOU NEE TOB INFORM D
*WE NEED YOUR UPP tT
Como out and find out how you. can heipi,
BLYTH BRUSSELS
Wed., Dec. 4, 1996 Thurs., Dec. 5, 1996
Blyth Public School Brussels Public School
7:00 p.m. -9:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. -9:00 p.m.
TEESWATER WINGHAM
Mon., Dec. 9, 1996 Tues., Dec. 10, 1996
Hillcrest Public School F.E. Madill School
7:00 p.m. -9:00 p.m. Cafeteria
7:00 p.m. -9:00 p.m.
LUCKNOW
Wed., Dec. 11, 1996
Lucknow Public School
.7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m,
Sponsored by Action Committee •
Verna Steffler 357-1184 •
;:iii;':: •< ny'�'.9%fyj.'
L"Uiddbton
Rade lhaeli
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