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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2009-03-04, Page 2Page 24 :111041uroo Expo itor ..• March 4, 2009 News Equipmentshared, not removed, from Seaforth hospital, administrator tells Healthcare Part •$idem 1'J'undett_uzlirk Rumours that Seaforth Communi- ty Hospital is losing pieces of equip- ment to other hospitals within the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance are false, site administrator Mary Cardinal told members of the Huron East Healthcare Partners committee Iasi week. She said that while the Seaforth hospital loans and borrows equip- ment to and from other hospitals, the loans are tracked with the equip- ment returning to Seaforth when it's needed. "I would not want to think the com- munity felt their donations were not benefitting this site," she said. She said being able to borrow equipment, like a wider bariatric lounge chair from the Clinton hoapi- tal, means better patient care. "I'm concerned when people make y statements that equipment is leaving Seaforth that is: purchased through community fundraising. When we stopped doing obstetrics here, some of the equipment went to the Clinton site because of the women from this community who chose to deliver ba- bies in, Clinton and then the equip- ment benefits then," she said. As well, Seaforth hospital has been using a colposcopy unit from St. Marys since July 2002 since it was no longer used there. -444-4 "That happens rather than having equipment sit and be mothballed at another site and not used," she said. Maureen Agar told Cardinal those sorts of rumours are a reflection of the fact that members of the com- munity are unhappy that Seaforth's hospital has been identified as a "healthy aging facility" with inpa- tient operations moved to Clinton. "People are upset about what our hospital has been chosen to be. May- be if you explained the benefit of it, it would help. You can't do every- thing at one hospital anymore like MiTNICIPALIW OF HURON. EAST CLASS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, FOR SERVICING OF THE COMMUNITY OF E(iMONDVII.LE they used to and that's a bitter' pill for people to accept," she said, add- ing that maybe a community meet- ing being planned for April 14 can address that concern. Cardinal reminded Agar that the decision to stop offering obstetrics was made by local physicians. HPHA CEO Andrew Williams said that while the Alliance could buy du- plicates of existing equipment, that would mean leaving unused equip- ment sitting idle .at some hospitals. "ate want to create a specialty fo- cus for all four of our sites so we can have four viable sites. We have to change with the times and create an important role for each facility," he said. He said people quickly jump to the conclusion the hospital will close whenever there are changes. "We have to constantly remind peo- ple that is not the agenda. But, you have to change with the times and we have a lot of organizations that were designed in the 1950s and `60s and the human resources . reality today is very different," he said, adding that more than half of the people looked after in each community doesn't live there. Agar said the public perception of a community that has already lost a high school is that hospital closure would follow any loss of services. "They. Cut back programs at the. school and then they closed it. When you've lost a school, you tend to be a little worried when programs or pro- cedures move _ out of the hospital," she said. Huron East Mayor Joe Seth ' said that school closures are not unique to Seaforth and that the public per- ception that Seaforth hospital could be a closed needs to be turned around. "I think the meeting will help. It should be done every other year," he said, MUNICIPALITY OF HURON EAST MUNICIPAL CLASS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR REHABILITATION OF SUMMERHILL ROAD BRIDGE The Municipality of Huron East is undertakinga MtmiCipaigass EnvironmentalAssessment (Class EA) to determine the most appropriate method to .extend municipal :sanitary sewers to the community of Egmondville. Phase I of the study, which was completed tllh late 2008, established a need within the community due to deficiencies identified with existing on-site sewage disposal (septic) systems. The next phase of the study will investigatevarious alternativesavaiiableto'extend municipal servicing to Egmondville and to determine potential impacts associated with each option being considered. Information sessions will be held during the course of the study to give membets of the public opportunities to provide input into study investigations. The planning for this project is following the environmental screening process established for Schedule B activities under the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) document. Schedule B projects are approved subject to the completion of Phases 1 & 2 of the Class EA process. The purpose of the screening process is to identify any potential environmental impacts associated with the proposal and to plan for appropriate mitigation of any impacts. The process includes consultation with the public, stakeholders and review agencies. This notice is being issued to.advise of the start of study investigations. Thew will be additional• opportunities for public input and involvement as the study progresses. Public input and comments are invited for incorporation into the planning and design ofthis project and will be received until March 27 , 2009, at the address listed below. Any comments collected in conjunction with the study, will be maintained on file for use during the project and may be included in project documentation. With the exception of personal information, all comments will become part of the public record. For further information on this project, or to review the Municipal Class EA process, please contact the consulting engineers: B.M. Ross and Associates: 62 North Street, Goderich, Ontario, N7A 2T4. Telephone (519) 524-2641. Fax (519) 524-4403. Kelly Vader, Environmental Planner (e-mail: kvaden@bmross.net). } This Notice Issued February 25th, 2009 Jack McLachlan, Clerk -Administrator Municipality of Huron East THE PROJECT: The Municipality of Huron East is planning to carty out work on Structure M23, which spans a tributaryrof the Maitland River. The structure is located along Summerhill Road approximately 1 km east of BeechwoodLine, northeast of Seaforth (as illustrated on the accompanying key plan). The rehabilitation project would involve the replacement/ repair of deteriorated bridge components, including the replacement of existing curb & railings with solid concrete barrier wails. At this time, It is anticipated that the bridge .rehabilitation would be completed during' the --2009 construction season. The affected section of SummerhiN Road Would be' closed. during the congruction period. THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCREENING PROCESS: The planning for this project is following the environmental screening process set out for Schedule B activities under the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) document. The purpose of the screening process is to identify any potential environmental impacts associated with the project and to plan for appropriate mitigation of any impacts. The process Includes consultation with the public, stakeholders and govemment review agencies. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT: The consultation program developed for this Class EA includes several opportunities for public involvement. For the initial phase of the program, public input will be received until March 27th, 2009. Additional opportunities for comment will be provided as the process proceeds. Any comments collected In conjunction with the study will bb maintained on file for use during the project and may be included in project documentation. With the exception of personal information, all comments will become part of the public record. For further information on this project, or to review the Class EA process, please contact the Project Engineer: B.M. Ross and Associates, 62 North Street, Goderich, Ontario, N7A 2T4. Telephone (519) 524-2641: Fax (519) 524-4403. Attention: Mike Corby, Planner (e-mail: mcorby @ bm ross.net). This Notion Issued Feb 25, 2009 Barry Mills, Public Works Manager Municipality of Huron East