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
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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
•