The Lucknow Sentinel, 1996-12-18, Page 1VOL. 123
WK. 51
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1996
-Hurort-Peigsdtkggtyviees study
Full house hears action
committee's viewpoint
by Pat Livingston
It is estimated that over 600 people
packed the Lucknow public school gym
and adjoining hallways last week to hear
members of the Wingham and District
Hospital action committee explain a com-
plex problem in simple terms.
"The whole purpose is to
information so you can under-
stand the ramifications in this
report (Huron Perth District
Health Council's health ser-
vices study) and how it will
impact on our lives," said
Verna Steffler, chair of the
action committee. Late last
month, the HPDHC released
three options for hospital
restructuring in the two coun-
ties. All three options recom-
mend reduced roles for all hospitals, save
those in Stratford and Goderich, which
will provide full services.
The action committee was formed in
response to the report which has been
called unacceptable to the Wingham hos-
pital and area citizens. This committee
has put together "option four" which sees
hospitals in Wingham, Listowel and
provide
"Some
thew
pa
is tak
McB
Goderich named "primary -plus" hospi-
tals, a secondary hospital in Stratford and
a primary hospital in Seaforth.Clinton,
Exeter and St. Mary's would be investi-
gated with respect to needs, community
interest and cost to determine the non -
inpatient services level required.
Panelists Bill Woodley. director of
patient care services at
Wingham hospital; Andy
McBride; Debbie Ritchie, RN;
Dr. Sean Sleeth (filling in for
Dr. M. Shu.bat) and Murray
Hunter covered various areas
of the DHC report.
McBride explained that
experts from Price Waterhouse
were hired and led the task
force through the process of
developing the report. They
were given six months to complete the
study, "You can't get a real handle on it
in that short time," said McBride.
"Sometimes the wrong path is taken. I'm
not sure the -consultation process worked
well."
McBride said the three options devel-
oped by the task force are not favorable
turn to page 2
times
rong
th
ride
Residents very critical
of health services study
by Pat Livingston
Members of the Huron
Perth District Health
Council's task force faced
aboui 1100 upset residents
of Wingham and area last
Thutsday:during the open
house procedure.
During the first session,
the group sat listening to
Janet Hook:chair of the
DHC and Kelly Gillis,
senior .health planner, as
they outlined the back-
ground work to come up
with' the three options.
Occasionally loud out-
bursts took place as the
group took strong excep-
tion to areas they vehe-
mently disagreed with.
Hook said that chal-
lenges facing the hospital
system are significant.
"The provincial govern-
ment has mandated that
over three years, begin-
ning in 1996/97, there will
be reductions to hospital
funding on an average of
18 per cent." Then there's
the -challenge of attracting
and keeping physicians
and other health profes-
sionals needed to provide
high quality services for
residents."
Hook said that as the
funding reductions occur,
hospitals in London and
Kitchener .that provide
highly specialized services
for Huron Perth residents
will need to restructure
'their services as well.
Advancements in med-
ical care over the past 20
•.years, and the availability
of community-based ser-
vices,.hay..- resulted in a
dramatic drop in the use of
hospital beds, Hook said.
Based on 1995/9,6 figures,
the average occupancy of
beds in Huron Perth was
55 per cent.
She said funding cuts
will occur whether or not
the study is done, and
therefore services will
Change from what they are
presently. "Without
restructuring, each hospi-
tal will address those
funding cuts individually.
...It is my firm belief that
as residents of Huron
Perth we can do a better
job of figuring out how to.
restructure our hospital
services in a way most
appropriate for. us than if
we wait for someone out-
side the district to do the
job," Hook said.
After a 30 minute for-
mal presentation, mem-
hers of the public were
given about 15, minutes to
ask questions.
Blyth area resident
Gerry McDonald wanted
to know if the health
council quest,ioned the
government's 18 to 20
percent or it' it (health
council) was !acting as a
conduit -for implementing
government policy.
- Hook in the first part of
her reply. was interrupted
with "Answer the ques-
tion." She asked to contin-
ue. "If the task forc'e's rec-
ommendations do not
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65c INCLUDES G.S.T.
St. Joseph's School, Kingsbridge, presented Surfin' Santa at their con-
cert last week. Some of the actors were Andrew Dalton, playing Marvin;
Kenny Stanley as the shark, and Mike Van Diepenbeek was the beach
person. (Helm photo)
History books released
this. Friday at, Brookside
suggested the townsliip mittee wasn't quite fin -
should do a history hook. ished the job as they were
"That was seven years busy preparing for the
ago. We struck a commit- official book launch this
-tee and it took off from Friday.
there." Hamilton Seeger said
Hamilton Seeger said the council of the town -
the first tender for printing ship was very gracious in
of the book was on 400 to supporting the group.
450 pages. The book They knew they couldn't
by Pat Livingston
Friday will he a time of
elation for a large number
of people who have been.
working on the histories of
two area.communitiesAt
is the 'book launch for
Reflections of West
Wowanosh and A History
of West Ashfield.
Seven years of work by
local volunteers has gone
into producing these two
magnificent ha-rd7bound
book which will be family
keepsakes.
Reflections of West
Wawanosh contains 688
pages of in-depth informa-
tion about every piece ot.
property in the township.
Rhea Hamilton Seeger,
one of ' the West
Wawanosh township HIS--
torians, recalls how the
history book came about.
About seven years ago
John Foran went to coun-
cil. "He was. waving
around a little hook .that
was put out by the St.
Augustine Church," said
Hamilton Seeger. Foran
ended up with 688 pages. sell 1000 in advance and
"We hoped every year pay up front. "We have
it would be done. We had • half of it paid for already,
to finishit this. year, and the township is pick -
because all of the family ing up the balance for the
of the committee triernbers , interim. "We'll pay them
were saying, 'Enough is back as the money comes
enough'! It got to be an in." The group has set a
embarrassment." tentative target date of 30
• While the time may days, •
seem lengthy, Hamilton The west Ashfield his -
Seeger said everyone torians were running neck -
involved was very thor- in -neck with those in West
ough and methodical. Wawanosh.
The index alone is over Marian Zinn, who was
40 pages. "If you married involved with the produc-.
anyone from Wawanosh, tion of -both books, says,
you're name is in this "They're not identical
book," she says. twins, but both are great
Last Friday, Hamilton books - a good winter's
Seeger was anxiously reading."
awaiting the shipment of
1000 books, but the com-
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