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The Citizen, 1997-12-17, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17,1997. Huron hospitals study partnership document By Margaret Stapleton Advance-Times Staff Members of the board of governors at Wingham and District Hospital will meet in closed session this week to discuss a draft plan which proposes a partnership among - not a merger of - the eight hospitals in Huron and Perth Counties. The other seven hospitals in Huron and Perth also will view the document. It was prepared by a consultant and presented to the 24- member - three from each hospital - Interim Governance Committee (IGC) earlier this month. The committee, which was formed early this year, has been studying hospital restructuring options in the two counties. George Underwood, chairman of the Wingham hospital board and one of Wingham's three representatives on the IGC, said the partnership would operate as a co­ operative with eight partners. Shared services will be key to the Belgrave hosts holiday party The Belgrave Community Club enjoyed a Christmas party on Friday, Dec. 5 at the Community Centre. President Lome Campbell welcomed everyone. O Canada was sung. Rev. Mary Jane Hobden said grace. Mrs. Debbie Reid served a delicious roast beef dinner to 66 members and friends. President Lome thanked the caterers. Donna Shaw and Freda Johnston conducted a sing-song of Christmas carols. Alf Nichol played a piano selection. Mabel Wheeler gave a reading on the Belgrave Fire of 1930. Doris Michie read some humorous articles. Ross Anderson and Lome Campbell played a few numbers on the harmonica and piano. Draw prizes for Christmas arrangements were won by Harvey Edgar, Alf Nichol, Maxine Zettler and Lois Chamney. A number of door prizes Euchre ends There were eight tables of euchre in play on Wednesday, Dec. 10 in the Women's Institute Hall. Winners were: high lady, Lois Chamney; second high lady, Aileen Leddy; lone hands, Audrey Edgar; low lady, Norma Moore; high man, Alice Nicholson; second high man, Dennis Leddy; lone hands, Ross Taylor; low man, Lloyd Appleby. This is the last euchre for this year. The next euchre will be on Wednesday Jan. 7 at 8 p.m. Everyone is welcome. The seniors' bowling scores for Wednesday, Dec. 10 were: Doris Michie, 137, 103; Marj Coultes, 97, 140; Mabel Wheeler, 125, 117; Alice Nicholson, 113, 118; Ivy Cloakey, 108, 116; Laura Johnston, 154, 176; Doris Remington, 129, 202; Louise Bosman, 137, 175; Evelyn Gailbraith, 197, 113; Evelyn Caslick, 106, 98; Kay McCormick, 106, 147; Jim Coultes, 127, 133, 149; Bill Caslick, 99, 111, 125; George Michie, 162, 173, 125; Ross Anderson, 189, 126, 176; Lome Campbell, 245, 173, 185. There were 10 tables of shoot in play at the Community Centre on Friday, Dec. 12. Winners were: high lady, Janet Mathers; second high, lady, Jane Grasby; most shoots, Agnes Gaunt; low lady, Doris Michie; high man, Stuart Chamney; second high man, Harvey Edgar; most shoots, Ross Taylor. The next shoot will be on Friday, Jan. 9 at 1:30 p.m. were awarded to Charles Cook, Bob Grasby, Jack Taylor, George Michie, Irene Lamont, Marj Coultes, Jim Hunter, Beth Procter, Maxine Zettler, Kay Rich, and Laura Johnston. Another Christmas sing-song concluded the afternoon. Last week the club members and friends enjoyed a bus trip to Paris. They enjoyed a delicious Christmas dinner prepared by Angie's Kitchen of St. Agatha. The Walters family presented their Christmas program. The group visited Mary Maxim needlework store before travelling to Simcoe. Robin Hood Travel treated the group to a light lunch at Arby's. Santa Claus (travel guide) boarded the bus and conducted a tour of the Simcoe Panorama of Christmas lights and residential displays. Everyone enjoyed the magnificent displays. partnership with proposals made in several areas, including food and nutritional services, materials management and common information technology, to name just a few. It also will allow each hospital to keep its local representation and autonomy but not dissolving any hospital corporation. Representatives of the eight hospitals on the IGC recommend to their boards that a joint executive committee be formed to arrange a partnership approach to consolidated governance, Underwood added. At a meeting last week, IGC members were presented with the first "nuts and bolts" of a partnership agreement in the form of a first draft. Underwood cautioned Wingham hospital board members that they might not like everything they see in the document, but re-iterated that it is a first draft. Underwood suggested that a special meeting be held as soon as possible at which members could discuss and review the draft plan. That meeting is slated for this Thursday evening. In January, the Huron-Perth District Health Council task force released its preferred option for hospital restructuring in the two counties, which saw all hospitals remain open, albeit some with a reduced role or fewer beds. In Wingham's case, the number of beds was cut, but it remained a community hospital providing acute care, surgery, obstetrics, intensive care and rehabilitation beds. Savings of 13.4 per cent, or just over $10 million, were realized by the changes. The proposal also called for one chief executive officer for the eight hospitals and the amalgamation of administration and boards into one administrative team. However, since that time, the provincial health ministry has rescinded a final year of cuts to hospitals, which would have resulted in a seven per cent funding cut. The feeling now, said Underwood, is that the DHC should ask the ministry to revise the savings target downward to the level of funding now set and commit to continue to find savings to reinvest here. "It's interesting that the DHC continues to harp that there should be a single administration and CEO in place for all eight hospitals," said Underwood, who noted that IGC members are not satisfied with a "global reinvestment strategy" which could See money distributed among all health givers in Huron and Perth, not just hospitals. On the topic of reinvesting in global health care, Dr. Brian Hanlon pointedly asked whether or not the Clinton hospital had DHC approval to go ahead with a new program to offer cataract surgery, in partnership with London specialists, as widely reported late last month. "They're (Clinton) off doing their own thing and we can't get approval for a medical clinic," observed Hanlon. (The Wingham hospital recently presented a business plan for its proposed clinic to the health ministry.) The physician went on to note that health ministry approval also is required for any use of hospital property. Lloyd Koch, WDH executive director, said he understood that Clinton had informed the DHC and received no objections to the plan. However, Koch promised to get a clear answer on the matter. Earlier this fall it was announced that the Huron-Perth District Health Council would amalgamate with its counterpart in Grey-Bruce on April 1, 1998. In the interim, the Huron-Perth DHC is in a "lame duck" position, said Underwood. Koch has been appointed to a committee to design a network to serve the needs of hospitals in the two counties to the north. He will be joined on that committee by one of the representatives on the Wingham hospital board who resides in Bruce County. Lauretta’s Hug & 1/2 U 252 Josephine St., Wingham 357-4650 lii CRIME ■ CHOPPERS 1-800-222-TIPS May the beauty of Christmas be an inspiration to you & those you love. Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season and a happy New Year. Hielke and Teresa Roetcisoender TURKEYS!!! Sunday Shoppers ONLY enter to win a CHRISTMAS TURKEY each Sunday November 30th to December 21st.