The Lucknow Sentinel, 1979-05-23, Page 1•••••.....•••••••• =VW:, ,o7A-r.r...11117AAFK•rm,marn•Ap•A.:7A,Trrimr= PM•47.77v7mr•••••••T•eAleff.,•••
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By The Sentinel
Flower show
The Lucknow Horticultural Society
are holding their spring tea and
• flower show at the Lucknow Legion
today frOm 2 to 5 p.m. and from .7, to
9 p.m. The therne for this show is
10 The Versatility. of Flowers..
•
Bike-a-thon
•
• The Lucknow Leo Club is holding a
Bike-a-thon to raise money for the
tennis courts being builtin Victoria
' Park, by the Lucknow Kinsmen and
Kinettes. The bikers will ride this
Sunday afternoon along a route, to •
Nile and back to Lueknow. Sponsor
sheets are' available •at the • Super
Scoop' and Bain's.
Renaissance art
The art lecture series at the
•Lucknow Presbyterian Church con-
' tinues tonight under the direction of
Prof. A. D. Logan. • Art of ' the
'
Renaissance and a demonstration of
the "interarts concept" will be the
subjects this week.
•
'Band concert
The Lucknow School Concert Band
played their annual concert to a
capacity crowd- at the community
tentre on Saturday night. Featuring
• the Lucknow School Junior Concert
Band, the concert was a tribute to
the fine young musicians we have in
this area. Picture story on page 10.
•
•
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Ed Blackwell cast his ballot in the federal election yesterday which
saw a good turnout at the p911;. Scrutineers William Porteous and
Margaret Thompson look on. The election was the first to be held on a
Tuesday since Confederation. [Sentinel Staff Photo]
--
„... „.. •
20 Pages ,
WEDNESDAY, MAY23, 1979
Single Copy 25c
os ital oard decides
to keep beds "at all costs"
,'The Winsham and Distrier HosPita
Board passed a motion on May .16 to
maintain 100 beds at the hospital at all.
costs and if itecessary, take the province to,
court to obtain the money to operate the 14
beds declared surplus by the ministry
guideline. If negotiation falls, the board
• decided they will have no recourse but to
• opt out of medicare and bill Ontario direct
for services' at the hospital. •
Deputy, health minister Allan Dyer
informed the board at a meeting iA
Wingham on May 8 they would not be
permitted to use the 14 surplus beds as
• "floating beds" as they had been promised
• at a previous meeting with health minister
• Dennis Timbrell. The ministry has _said
they would convert seven beds to chronic
care which would mean an • additional
• $40,000 being added to the hospital's
budget. The board has decided, to stand by
its previous decision to keep open all '100
beds at the hospital because they believe
they are required for active' care. The
ministry would close thezemaiiiing seven
beds because 'the hospital cannot show
they are needed for chronic care.
Boris Milosevic, assistant chairman of
the hoard, told the meeting he contacted
Liberal MPP Murray Gaunt who has
arranged a meeting between the Wingham
Hospital Board and the House Committee
Friday, May 25. The board will negotiate
with the \ ministry for the additional
$142,600 required to operate all 100 beds at
the hospital.
If the board fails to obtain the $142,000
they will take the necessary legal steps to
• test their billing for services in the courts.
The board's solicitor, Bob Campbell, said it
comes down to whether the province has
the right to. close hospital beds. Hayes said
there is no provision in the Health legisla-
tion for the ministry to impose bed ratios.
He said he does think the health acts do
force the ' ministry to pay for patients'
hospital expenses. ,
The whole basis for the court case is
being paid for work done which is ommon
law said Campbell. The hospital will 'have
to prepare a, cost accounting system to
determine reasonable charges for services
available and the court will -oversee fair
charge for services rendered.
The only way to obtain something
definite from the ministry is to take legal
proceedings, said. Campbell.
"You Must hit them where it hurts," he
;•• commented.. TO avoid the publicity of a
court battle with the Winghain Hospital,
Campbell believes the government will
probably come up with a proposal accep-
table to everyone. "We have a good case,"
said Campbell.
Hayes refused to rework the figures of a
holpital study to show Wingham needs 14
chronic beds to allow the surplus beds to
remain open as chronic beds, because they
are needed for active treatment.
The ministry cannot understand Wing -
ham Hospital sees ilttients who are
chronic in nature in hospital for a few days
at a time as active patients said Hayes. He
implied the ministry sees these patients as
chronic even though they require active
treatment While they are in hospital.
' The board decided not to persue a
Health Service Organization because under
the ministry's concept as outlined by Dyer
at the May 8 meeting, it is an alternative
method of closing beds.
"Only we do it ourselves," remarked Dr.
•
Doug Mowbray.• . •
Dr. Dick. Treleaven asked Mir. Campbell
if the government would pass legialation•to
• close the beds if. Wingham: won their case
in court. Campbell answered the, govern-, '
• ment talked of legislation when they *ere
trying to close DoctOrs' Hospital in Toronto
but 'they never took it to :the legislature.
Treleaven remarked the reason was
• political because ,Doctors' Hsopital is in a
riding the government won by ,a very small
margin in the last election.
Dr. Treleaven warned' the board the
provincewill' fight with all the assets and
resources they've got. They let Clinton
Hospital stay 'open because it did not mean
that much but Wingham is a different case
he said. It will mean even'', hospital in the
province (will use Wingham case as a
precedent).
•
. •
Stores closed
Friday nigkts
Lucknow Business Association met May
16 and decided to remain closed on Friday
nights throughout the summer months.
A decision to contribute. up to $600
toward the purchase of more Christmas
lights for the town was also made. .
Discussion centred around police pro-
tection and secutity at night, when the
business places are closed. Concern was
voiced, as breakins have occurred recently
iri the village
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