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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1996-12-04, Page 9Why Goderich? Are customers to come by boat? CONTINUED from page 5 maintained, high quality care focused on patient needs will be available...". Even if you can make sense of these "feel good" words (sort of like Mom and apple pie and everything. else good) the study doesn't have any idea how mar.veflous things are going to be achieved or how they are advanced by the options proposed. 4. "Change" and "anchor" assumptions are false and unsupportable. The study makes a large number of rather startling assumptions. The DHC should have been reminded of the first law of assump- tions: when you. assume, it often makes an (ass) out of (u) and (me). This is certainly the case here. Here are just a few examples of erroneous or improper assumptions taken as "givens" by the study: • The study says the contin- ued provision of: primary cart (including emergency ser- vices) and secondary care services at each hospital is threatened'How? Where? It seems this is only. threatened by the DHC itself. • • The study says services should he "repatriated from London". No, this isn't the Canadian Constitution they're talking about, but what in fact are they talking about? No examples arc given. • The study says two "sec- ondary" hospitals are required. Why'? Is this realis- tic? Why is Goderich the choice for Huron? Arc the customers to come by boat? Is it realistic to expect both doctors and patients to travel to Goderich? Isn't this the very reason why many other government services such as OMAFRA, FCC, County health and library services, education offices and so forth are centralized in Clinton? 5. Restructuring criteria are identified but the crite- ria are not researched, examined or evaluated. Again, the magic words of coordination, quality and access appear hut, like phan- toms, these seem to disappear when options are suggested. How do the options improve access? These. options don't. The whole reason for the study has to do with costs and government budget restraints, yet costs are not even considered and won't be until the option is chosen. No numbers have been crunched yet --sort of like the cart before the horse. Here'.s a good example of criteria at work: " • it is important that we develop options that can he achieved....protessionals (must he) grouped together appropriately, i.e. surgeons need anaesthetists to he avail- able:..." This is but one example of the brilliant deductions made by this study which cost more than $260,000 of our scarce, hard earned tax dollars to produce. 6. Critical issues have been ignored or disregard- ed. The study doesn't even seem to consider critical rural concerns such as our lack of public transportation and the Huron County winters which Imperative .that community Dear Editor: Scaforth Community Hospital's position is not as secure as you may have been led to believe. The District Health Council has only released options. "This is only the beginning point of our consultation. Our ultimate scenario may look different." HPDHC Executive Director Fraser Bell told the press at Friday's • meeting.' Communities will be inves- tigated with respect to needs. community interest and cost. The restructuring options only state what we may have. There is no mention of what we may not have. It is imperative that all community members attend the information session tonight (Wednesday) at Seaforth Community Centres we all joke about but which given as much consideration? are a harsh, cold reality. No Yes, total government consideration seems to have spending must decrease, but been. given to the very sur- isn't it value that we need to viva) of our communities. No look at? Yes, we do need to consideration is given to the restructure. Yes, health care fact that Exeter, Wingham is changing, but we don't and Listowel hospitals all need to cut off both our legs serve many people outside and an arm to do it. the geographic boundaries of Under the plan as it is writ - Huron and Perth counties. ten, Seaforth Community Medical needs don't recog- Hospital will be a primary nine geographic boundaries. hospital. Seaforth 7. Restrictive, narrow, lin- Community Hospital wills ear thinking. have such procedures as Yes, "beds" may not be removal of appendix, gall what hospitals are about bladder, no laproscopic tubal today but what about tomor- ligations, no lap colics, no row'? Don't some of the same epidurals for labouring reasons why we still need at moms, no C-sections...The . least 215 beds in our district list could go on and on. The apply to each and every corn- next baby like Jasmine Stoll munity and its hospital'? (your Feature section last What about emergency med- week) will not have access to ical services'? Emergency the same chances of survival. medical servic_' are about There will he no surgeon or being able to carr • ,r critical- , naesthetist standing by as ly ill patients. it is not about c services will not he bandaging cuts and scratches. iailahle here. Under this Yet for what is given the glo- plan, we will have fewer ser- rious title of "basic emer- vices than we have ever had gency at a primary care cen- in the history of our hospital. ire" it means that... "a nurse How is that improving access (no doctor) may be on site for to health care? up to 24 hours and a general This plan is simply not practitioner will be (only) on- acceptable and should not be call after office hours," The tolerated; Better solutions message is this: don't get sick than those yet identified must or hurt from 9-5 -- it could be sought. I urge you to voice kill you. What about all those your concerns now before it studies, particularly those is too late. Your attendance at relating to heart attacks, that the public meeting in say the early administration Scaforth this Wednesday is of medication is absolutely urgently required. essential to your survival? Our "landfill/dump studies" took many months to com- plete and consumed many tens of thousands of dollars. Shouldn't our health care he Sincerely , Ralph Smith Lawyer, Concerned Citizen and former Chair, Seaforth Community Hospital attend information session at 7:30 p.m. We will all have a clearer understanding of the proposed options. On December 10, the dis- trict health council task force is giving our community the opportunity for feedback about their expectations as to how health care will be deliv- ered to our community at Scaforth Community Centres from 4 to 9 p.m. Your participation is vital to the future of Scaforth hospi- tal as a health care facility. Seaforth Taxi would be pleased to give anyone in Scaforth, Egmondvillc and Harpurhey who has no means of transportation to the December 4 meeting a free ride to and from the meeting. Respectively, Joyce Ribey & Janice Leonhardt THE HURON EXPOSITOR, D•o.mbM 4. 1SK4 Hospital Restructuring Study Options Open House Tuesday, December 10, 1996 4:00 p.m. -9:00 p.m. Seaforth & District Community Centre 122 Duke Street Seaforth, Ontario (Presentations begin at the following times: 4:00, 4:45, 5:30, 6:15, 7:00, 7:45 and 8:30) The Huron Perth Hospital and Related Health Services Study Task Force needs your input! This Open House is an opportunity for you to: • find out about 3 possible options for hospital restructuring • learn how each option would affect health care in you' community • provide feedback on each option Everyone Welcome For further information, please phone the Huron Perth District Health Council at 519-348-4498 or 1-888-648-3712 • _ • HURON PERTH DISTRICT HEALTH COUNCIL SEARS Catalogue oReg on't pay for ONE FULL YEAR! Nov. 25th to Dec. 22nd '96 When you use your Sears card! MAJOR APPLIANCES FURNITURE FLOOR COVERINGS HOME ELECTRONICS HOME IMPROVEMENT SNOW BLOWERS A S35 ADMINISTRATION FEE APPLIES 78° 7.1.800.267.3277 24 -hours a 7 days a w ek or visit your FREE local Sears Catalogue Store PETE'S PAPER CLIP 19 MAIN ST., SEAFORTH, ONT. 527-1681 Dear Seaforth and surrounding area residents: In a continuing effort to serve our customers better, Canadian Tire is building a new 41,000 -square foot Associate Store in Goderich, featuring over 21,500 square feet of retail and offering customers a superior shopping experience. This store will enable us to better serve our customers and to offer you a full selection of automotive, home, and sports and leisure products in a modern shopping environment. As a result of the opening of our new Goderich location, we will, regretfully, be permanently closing our Seaforth Canadian Tire Associate Store on Sunday, December 29, 1996. Plans are underway to hire approximately 30 additional employees at the Goderich location. Every effort will be made to relocate our 16 employees currently located at the Seaforth store to the new Goderich Canadian Tire Associate Store. We appreciate and value your patronage and look forward to serving you over the holiday season in both our Seaforth and Goderich locations. If you have any questions, please call: Customer Relations 1-800-387-8803 0E96 -1369a •