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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2005-03-09, Page 31t.N's Communication breakdown created need for hospital study, says Rodney By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor A perceived communication breakdown between the Seaforth community and its hospital prompted the Seaforth hospital focus group to do its research, Dr. Ken Rodney told the Seaforth Local Advisory Committee of the Huron -Perth Healthcare Alliance last Monday. "The feeling on the street was anger and a feeling of being abandoned," Rodney told the LAC of his perception after last fall's release of the Alliance's cost- cutting plans to deal with a $7 million deficit. "Many were saying the hospital was going the way of the high school. A health organization has to be credible or it's no good," he said. Responding to the Seaforth LAC's chair Arend Streutker, who asked what Rodney expected the LAC to do with' the study, Rodney said the findings could be used to restore the relationship between the community and the hospital. "We started this to build that relationship and restore credibility that had been lost. The ball is in your path when we tell you what the community wants," he said. The final report of the Seaforth hospital focus group, which outlined the strong support for the hospital by much of Huron East, included five conclusions, including municipal representation on the Alliance board, a Watts line at the hospital to prevent long distance calls from Brussels -area patients and the re-establishment of a satellite clinic in Brussels. Other conclusions included continuing support for the emergency department at Seaforth Community Hospital and greater emphasis on the outpatient surgical and orthopedic clinics in Seaforth. "I can say with certainty that the clinics were used to the fullest when they were available. We have had requests from the Seaforth doctors and the Stratford doctors for clinics and surgery in Seaforth. It could be an outlet value for the waiting list in Stratford," said Rodney. He pointed to the historical fact that municipal councillors have sat on local hospital boards to support his argument to reinstitute the practice on the Alliance board. Alliance CEO Andrew Williams suggested that while municipal representatives might not be workable on the Alliance board, the idea might work better if municipal councillors served on the LACs. "If you introduce it for one, you do so for all," he said of the various municipalities served by the Alliance. Rodney complained to the Seaforth LAC that he was denied access to employment figures at the Seaforth hospital. Seaforth site leader Mary Cardinal responded that while the staff at SCH has decreased by six, many of those who left are now working at other sites within the Alliance. "Those numbers weren't provided because I thought they might be misleading," she said. Rodney said the focus group will give the Alliance and the Seaforth LAC some time to digest the study's findings before holding a public meeting in Seaforth in the spring. "We will be back at the end of April and see where we are. Hopefully, we'll be speaking to the community with one voice at that time. You are going to be invited to that meeting," he said. At Dr. Ro Ken dney Huron East council worried Seaforth interests not represented in Alliance By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor Expressing concern that the interests of the Seaforth community are not being well -represented, Huron East Mayor Joe Seili asked all of council to attend last Thursday's meeting of the Huron -Perth Healthcare Alliance board in Seaforth. "I'd like to thank the group for their hard work and effort. The battle's not over yet," he told members of the Seaforth hospital focus group, which presented their final report to council last Tuesday night. Dr. Ken Rodney told council he could see that it is "definitely committed to keeping the hospital viable" and added that both the Seaforth Community Development Trust and council have "put their money where their mouth is." He stressed how important the hospital is to Seaforth as possibly the biggest employer with the highest salaries in town. Grey Coun. Mark Beaven told Rodney he agreed with the study's conclusion that municipal councillors should be represented on the Alliance board. "That's a very important issue - I remember saying that myself a while ago," he said. Rodney told council that the Seaforth Local Advisory Committee's response to the focus group's study the night before was "lukewarm and not pertaining to the disconnect between the Alliance and the community." Focus group member Maureen Spittal told council she wasn't sure if the LAC understood the situation because its chair asked what Nursing shortage concerns Alliance Concerned about a looming nursing shortage, Huron -Perth Healthcare Alliance board member Dave Rae asked what was being done about the looming shortage of nurses at last week's board meeting in Seaforth. After talking about the province's doctor shortage, Rae wondered if the Alliance has begun to think about recruiting nurses. "Nursing shortages are going to be just as critical I think," Rae said. Marie Ormerod, vice president, Human Resources, said they are engaged in recruiting nurses all the time. "The Alliance will hopefully be able to help us in that regard," said Ormerod The problem, Ormerod said, is trying to recruit nurses into part-time positions. "You can imagine trying to recruit professionals in a part- time capacity is very, very difficult." said Ormerod. She applauded the recent recruitment of a full-time emergency room nurse who is split part-time in Seaforth and Clinton. "Having the ability to move some hours around and it creates full-time hours is really our hest option," she said. During the flu and cold season, Ormerod said, it is very difficult on nurses at all locations throughout the Alliance. "This time of the year does stretch our nursing staff in just about every facility," said Ormerod. the focus group expected the LAC to do. "As we're proceeding, services are still slipping out the door," she said, referring to the fact that a radiologist is no longer coming to Seaforth from Wingham. "Nobody has any power except the Alliance. They own everything. They make the decisions and they tell you about it. They say you don't need a radiologist and it's accepted," said Spittal. Rodney told council that after talking to the St. Marys hospital's chief of staff, he thinks the St. Marys community is disappointed too. "He thinks they're stripping the hospitals bit by bit," said Rodney. Spittal asked who is going to keep the dialogue about the Seaforth hospital going now that the focus group's study is complete. "It's not the first night that we've heard that Bob and his other brother Bob don't speak up for the hospital," said Deputy -Mayor Bernie MacLellan, referring to Seaforth's two Alliance representatives Bob Broadfoot and Bob Norris. "We feel that they're just not getting it. There's a severe lack of communication between the community and the Alliance," added Spittal. Focus group member Lin Steffler told council she is concerned that Seaforth's hospital needs a primary care focus like the remaining three hospitals in the Alliance have. "Nothing has been delineated for Seaforth and that's very critical. We need a protected service," she said. Rodney said the Alliance's biggest argument is that Seaforth is not using all of its beds. 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