HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2009-03-11, Page 8Page 8 The Huron Expositor • March 11, 2009
News
Seaforth hospital's overnight ER closure gives local
doctors a better case to earn back rurality In.. ex
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The overnight closure at Seaforth
Community Hospital's emergency
department - caused by a shortage of
ER nurses - ,.bas given local doctors
a better case to earn back Seaforth's
rurality index.
Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance
CEO Andrew Williams told members
of the Huron East Healthcare Part-
ners' committee recently that Sea-
forth's loss of underserviced status
in the provincial rurality index pre-
vents the community from being able
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to offer tuition assistance to nurses -
another recruitment tool that could.
be used once Seaforth again
qualifies.
"If you're underser-
viced through the rural-
ity index, you can access
tuition assistance for
nurses so we've had dis-
cussions with the Min-
istry around the impact
on this site," he said.
Dr. Heather Percival
said the Seaforth doctors
have been talking to the
Ministry of Health about
the situation since Octo-
ber. Seaforth lost its ru-
ral status last spring.
A rurality index is a
mathematical formula
which de es if an
area is underserviced
medically and Seaforth's index
dropped below 45, cutting off any
of the .benefits it enjoyed during the
past 15 years when identified itig fp-
derserviced.`
Based on factors such as popu-
lation, the number of doctors and
visiting specialists, the number of
hospital beds, the types
of services offered in
the hospital, distance
from larger hopitals,
weather conditions
and the speed al-
lowed on the highway,
towns indexed above
45get government
assistance to pay for
locum coverage or re-
placement doctors to
fill in for regular doc-
tors when they need
time off for vacations
or training as well as
stipends that pay for
continuing medic
education.
Sealbrth hospital site
administrator said the
Quoted
`If you're
underserviced
through the.
rurality index,
you can access
tuition
assistance for
nurses,' --
„PHA CEO
Andrew Williams
loss of Seaforth's rurality index was
"arbitrary and unexpected.”
"We ks4p raising the issue with
the (South West) l,HtN about bow
it negatively affects the 849 for both
physicians and nurses but the feed -
Huron Centennial wine a spot
during Foundation's envlronmental CD cont t
back we get is that they're looking
into it," added Seaforth hospital site
administrator Mary Cardinal.
"It's like pushing against a steel
wall," commented Huron East May-
or Joe Seili.
Cardinal said the nursing shortage
and how it's affecting Seaforth's ER
is raising the importance of the is-
sue.
She said hospital administration is
pushing the issue with the Ministry
of Health and the Ontario Nursing
Secretariat as the doctors continue
to lobby the Ontario Medical Assso-
ciation.
"It's too bad it has to get so serious
before it gets fixed," responded Seili.
"And, it's un f ortpate it had to be
changed in the first place," agreed
Cardinal
Cardinal. said that while they had
been told verbally that .Seaforth
would soon regain its status, nothing
has yet been received in writing.
"You can't hang your hat on any-
thing until you get it in writing," she
said,
From Page 7
songs needed little improvement.
"Their stuff was pretty solid Aaupically, They did 1.10ps
pretty funky arrangements," 414e says.
Using a song they'd already performed as a Grade 7 ge-
ography project, three Grade 8. glee, Rachel Hearn, Sa-
mantha Steckle and Jaden Carter -calking themselves
the Glamour Girls.- were also chosen for the CD.
Rachel and Samntha are Huron Centennial students
)u1e Jaden moved recently to tiensail Public School.
The song called Save Our World; written by Rachel
when sloe started to learn about global warming, was Te -
corded last year and mare unahanged on the CD.
"They didn't want to wreck it," says Samantha.
"Ours was a cappela and they thought it was such a
good blend of voices, adds Rachel.
Coryn and Brooke are hoping that the CD's message
will make listeners more aware about the a vironment.
people will be inspired and I think the anally hear
the message. And, they'll definitely sing to the chorus,"
she says.
Footprints - Songs and Poetry for a Sustainable Planet
is expected to be .completed by the middle of March gq4
will be available at local schools and through the Foun-
dation for . Enriching Education's website at www.foun-
dationforeducation.on.ca/xneetFounclatiQn.htm.
tjust about sugar.
things that put your family at high risk.
Call a Registered Dietitian for free.
ht Ontario 1$7751O -51O2
Paid for by the Government of Ontario
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