HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1979-06-06, Page 2Pa 2--L.c>ka w Sentinel, Wednesday, May 6, 1979
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hospital building. The number of beds to
be allowed for chronic care was reduced
from 14 to seven.
Tuesday, May 29 the representatives of
the board and the action committee went
back at Queen's Park to present additional
points to their original brief, but this time
found they faced a different tribunal,
STANDING COMMITTEE
Because of the increasing number of
.hospitals in the province which are pro-
testing the ministry's bed cuts (some 26 at
this point), the entire subject of active bed
closures has been placed before the
Legislature's Standing Committee on
Social Development, ,chaired by Murray
Gaunt, MPP, Huron -Bruce.
After presenting the addenda to the
original brief, Jaek Hodgins, Wingham and
District Hospital board chairman, respond-
ed
to questions put by various members of
the committee, which inbludes representa-
tion =.from :all three parties in the
Legislature.. Norman Hayes, executive
director of the hospital, provided statistical
information required by the questions.
Assistant deputy minister Dr. Dyer was
the only spokesman for the health ministry.
Mr. Timbrell did not attend.
Wingham • was . the first hospital to
app ear before ..the standing committee.
although at that time 25 other hospitals had
asked for hearings.
Russell Rathsay, (PC -Sault Ste.. Marie)
was the first committee member to direct
questions to . the delegation. When he
asked about average length' of stay in the.
Wingham hospital and heard that it was
6.3 days, he observed it was a commend-
able figure, compared with the .provincial
average of eight days. Asked whether
chronic care beds are used foractive
treatment, Mr. Hayestold him, they are
Mt Ramsay then addressed. Dr. Dyer on,
the matter of a 10 -bed "cushion"
permitted ,smallerhospitals, over and.
above the . ministry's formula of. slightly
less than four beds per. thousand . of
population in the area "served by any one
hospital. Dr. Dyer said that the cushion has
been provided for this year .only and
refused to say whether or not the same
cushion would be permitted in future
years. He said that no decision had been
made bir the nr;jstry in this regard.
Mr. Ramsay also wanted' _ to know
whether the Wingham hospital has plans to
bring in efficiency consultants as recom-
mended by
econs-mendedby the ministry. Mr. Hayes replied
that such a survey will be done by the
Ontario Hospital Association later this
year, probably in September.
MICHAEL CASSIDY
Michael Cassidy (NDP -Ottawa Centre)
and leader of his party, proceeded with
detailed questioning,- not only ,of the
Wingham spokesmen, but also of Dr.. Dyer,
He also wanted to know whether the
10 -bed cushion would be in ' effect next
year. When the ministry representative
said he could not say, Mr. Cassidy wanted
to know how small hospitals could possibly
plan for future service's when that informa-
tion is not available.
Pursuing the 'question of cost savings,
Mr. Cassidy asked Dr. Dyer what savings
would be effected by bed closures. The
reply wig that fixed costs would remain the
same; savings would be created only. by
reduction of, staff.: Thus the saving; would
be about 10 per cent of present costs where
these beds are. concerned.
Mr: hayes said that admissions to the
Wingham hospital , would have to be
reduced by 25 per cent to save the $168,000
which has already been pruned from the
hospital's budget by the ministry.: (The
ministry's penalty was based on . a• cost of
S.12,000 per bed for 14 beds,; but the actual
saving would . be more in the range. of
$1,200 per bed.) •
Asked .by Mr. Cassidy if the Wingham.
hospital could ;maintain its present : stand-
ard of_ health care under the reduced
budget, Mr: Hayes said, "We don't think
When. Mr.. Cassidy asked .whether the
George Felton was honoured for his 27 years •uissoclatlon with the West Wawanosh Mutual
Fire liartrairee at their mee � � In the Ludmow Legion on Wednesday, May
30. George Kett I f�t,ymade the p station when area branches of Mutual Insurance
gathiered to celebrate the 100th anNverssry of the West--Wawaaush Company.
gham bed.cuts
Wingham delegation was originally told
that 14 beds designed for chronic care
could be used for active treatment if
needed, Dr. Dyer denied*.
it.
In Answer to Dr. Dyer's statement that
Wingham does not have a chronic care
program, Mr. Hayes outlined in detail the
facilities and services which are provided
in the. Wingham hospitaland nearby
nursing homes and by home care services.
THE ALTERNANS
Mr. Cassidy asked what the Wingham
hospital board is prepared to do if the
ministry refuses to restore its budget
funds. Mr. Hodgins oulined the alterna-
tives " which may be taken. The first, he
said, would be to opt out of the OHIP plan
and bill patients directly, thus leaving •
them to recover a portion of the bills from
OHIP on their own initiative. Second and
least desirable on Wingham's part, would
be court action against the ministry.
Dr. Dyer quoted from an. Act of
Legislature to the effect that it would be
illegal for the hospital to opt out of 6HIP.
He was met with jeers from one member of
the committees who. termed such an
interpretation" of the act as ridiculous in
face of the fact that the ministry has taken
no action to constrain thedozens of doctors.
in the province who have already opted out
of the plan ,and are. billing directly.'
Jack Riddell (Lib. --Huron) said he is aw-
are of the fact that the Winghamhospital
has been operating efficiently for many
years and criticized the ministry for its
about-face on its commitments to the
hospital.
Hugh O'Neil (Lib.--Quinte) said he
thought the minister of health should have
attended the meeting and askedif the
ministry is prepared to chan$e its mind on
the bed closure issue,a question which, in
his opinion, should be addressed to the
ministry personally.
Dr. Dyer„ replied~ that no hospital was
'ordered to close beds, but simply told how
many beds were . declared surplus. This
reply elicted evident contempt on the part
of several committee members.
Michael Breaugh (NDP= -Oshawa) the
party's health critic said, "I think these
people in Wingham have been had. I have
heard changes in (the ministry's) stance
right here this afternoon. It is evident the
people of Wingham are right."
Mrs: Ross Cumming addressed the.:
annual meeting of the Bruce South District
of Women's Institute branehes on May 15.
The : Sentinel incorrectly reported Mrs.
George Fisher had made the address. We
apologize for: any inconvenience this error
.may havecaused.
ate,.
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