Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2005-01-26, Page 3News Bed reductions still in works for three of Alliance's four hospitals From Page 1 minimize involuntary job losses," he said. Williams said the province's refusal to cut services is good news for local patients. "The province is not approving any reduction of services to patients so there will be no clinical service changes. They want to make sure there are alternatives in the community," said Williams on Monday. For the Alliance, that means that cuts to out-patient services across the four sites will not go ahead. In Seaforth, outpatient services include occupational therapy, which was discontinued in December when the position became vacant, and clinical nutrition. SCH has not offered outpatient physiotherapy services for a year and a half when management found it impossible to recruit a physiotherapist in Seaforth to offer outpatient services. Irwin Physiotherapy has set up a clinic at the Seaforth Medical Clinic but because the clinic is outside the hospital. OHIP does not cover any of the physiotherapy services there. Services are often covered by extended health benefits,, auto insurance or worker's compensation. "The plan now is to put outpatient physio back in Seaforth. We are going to sit down and look at other ways to approach the issue of physiotherapy in Seaforth. I don't have a time frame but it will happen as soon as possible," said Williams. The province did, however, approve the bed cuts in Seaforth, Clinton and St. Marys proposed in the balanced budget plan. "We're going to recalculate our numbers but 15 is our target," said Williams. The balanced budget plan proposed reduced SCH's beds from 34 to 15 (nine continuing care and six medical beds), Clinton Public's from 19 to 15 and St. Marys Memorial from 21 to 15 (five continuing care and 10 medical.) Proposed cuts to beds in Stratford will not go forward, however, said Williams. Stratford General Hospital has 143 beds, including 18 continuing care, 15 rehabilitation, 20 medical, 12 palliative care, eight with heart monitors, eight obstetrics, 33 surgical, 18 mental health, five intensive care and six pediatrics and the balanced budget plan proposed cutting 55 beds in Stratford. "It's important to reinforce that with those numbers of beds in Seaforth, Clinton and St. Marys, there will be no reduction in the number of patients we're treating," Williams said. Local doctors pleased outpatient physio will be offered again at Seaforth hospital By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor Because a number of elderly patients in the Seaforth area have not been able to access physiotherapy during the year and a half it's not been provided by Seaforth Community Hospital, Dr. Dan Rooyakkers is happy the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance is going to offer outpatient physio again at SCH. "It's certainly very welcome to have Seaforth offering physiotherapy again. Elderly people have had to pay out of their own pockets, simply because they don't have insurance," he says, adding that many can't afford it. A recent review by the province of the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance's balanced budget plan has resulted in the Alliance scrapping any plans to cut outpatient services at its four hospitals in Seaforth, Clinton, St. Marys and Stratford. That means the Alliance wil be working towards providing outpatient physiotherapy in Seaforth, where it has not been offered by the hospital for the past year and a half, the only site in the Alliance not to provide the service. Rooyakkers, SCH's chief of staff, says the lack of outpatient physiotherapy services at SCH is not unique in the province, however, since a trend across Canada is young physiotherapists opening their own private clinics which are not covered by OHIP. "That's fine for young people who have insurance," he says. Dr. Ken Rodney, a member of the Seaforth hospital study group, is also pleased to hear that outpatient physiotherapy will again be offered by SCH. "I'm very happy that the government has ruled that existing services should be maintained. That should make the people happy," he says. The hospital study group, which is researching the local community's feelings about services offered at Seaforth's hospital, has gathered a lot of support for the existing services at SCH. While the province is supporting the Alliance's plan to cut,the number of beds at the hospitals in Seaforth, Clinton and St. Marys, Rooyakkers says bed reducations at Seaforth hospital, as targetted under the balance budget plan, were expected. "The bed closures are really beds we were not using at a11," he says. But, he's happy that the Alliance received funding from the province recently. "Any funding is always welcome. Hopefully, it will allow us to keep our priorities going at Seaforth hospital to have an active emergency and medical/surgical floor," he says. Rooyakkers adds that, as the Alliance studies where surgery will be offered in the four -hospital Alliance, he's hoping more surgery can be offered in Seaforth. "More local surgery would be welcomed by all parties involved. Everyone would jump at the chance and we would have a line-up of people to come here. But, we don't get any funding from the goverment to allow it to happen," he says. THE HURON EXPOSITOR, Jan. 26. 2005-3 -WE NOW NAVE- `lender Thoughts Greeting Cards & Gift Wrap (Formerly at Stedmans) $1.00 each COLOUR II 12, ) COPIES • %IP Ar BIG CITY PRICES 02111.1 FAXING, COLOUR COPIES PETE'S PAPER CLIP i 1 ,ll�liit Vit.. seafot•t It 527-1681 • eons for And you With Hunter Douglas, it's all about style. Hunrvr Douglas ha (ht hone,' IU1C 7:It t( ss in& ra' • Come in .ukl ((twit !hent trot. and cuter (111%111 a _'1Y1'. NL++; HunterDouglas window fashions *`:•; paithasr, wessaly Sea raw,i1 deals QNx;;i <,. WW2 an33 k !•Witty westo.t.. Call today for your complimentary In-home consultation SAP PAUL & FINOLA MACGINTY 524-5773 WHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE? Paul Martin wants to impose same-sex marriage. We'd like to know where you stand. di_all Conservative Party 111Foir of Canada 4 Stephen Harper believes in traditional marriage. ■s -Dm w r L.) YES, I would like more information on Stephen Harper's position on marriage. YES, 1 want to help defeat the Liberal agenda to change marriage. rr *.`m. W INN 11111111- - I V s wow tom. Send your response, postage free .to: The Hon. Stephen Harper, P.C., M.P. House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6 Name: Address: Town/City. Province: www.conservative.ca/marriage Tel: UNPIN gawp $ Postal Code: Email: