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Times Advocate, 1996-11-27, Page 1SE/P'S valu-mart 4 & 83 Exeter 235-0262 Satuniay: Buckles, Boots, and Ss 1:30 m.m. Mw fa>• a� as,$ saM raifis tir■s ar� ■■ 1 to Tt,e I If you aren't s Tines -Advocate, you're Use the below subsd today! I Name: 1 I Address City I Prov. I Postal Code O I 1 yew $35 + 245 OSTQ� year $83 4. 4.41 OST eeln 1 year SW • 4.41 OST2 yew Site +8.33OST =Mar MARA ra..00 (Ind. $88.40 po. ) I USE YOUR CREDIT CARD IDUCLICEICLI I C]C1CILIC]C)CU card No. Expiry Date U Visa U Master Card I 1 I I 1 I ❑ Cheque enclosed I fletum to; TIMES ADVOCATE 424 Main St. Exeter, Ont. NOM a S6, r — nam on - — Inside Public Hospital Meeting Tonight at South Huron Recreation Centre, 7:30 p.m. Christmas Tree Trends See Crossroads Second front T -A Song Book in this edition This week's Times -Advocate h as an added bonus...our annual Christmas Song Book brought to you courtesy of many local advertisers. Anyone requiring additional copies is welcome to pick them up at our office at 424 Main St. S. Exeter Three killed VARNA - Three people died in a tragic single -car crash on County Road 31 just north of Varna Sun- day morning. Three other passen- gers in the vehicle were taken to Victoria Hospital in London. Dead are: Brian Hill, 21, of Stan- ley Township; Neal Atchison, 20 and Pamela King, 20, both of Clin- ton. In critical condition are Mark Webster, 19 and Sarah Lebeau, 20, both of Stanley Township, and Brandon Gardner, 19, of Vanastra. OPP report road conditions as dry and visibility clear. Police said the 1995 Camaro was northbound on Huron County Road 31 at about 6:05 a.m., one km. north of Varna. The vehicle left the west side of the road, hit a guard- rail, travelled along a ditch before hitting a driveway and becoming airborne. The car stopped in a clump of trees near the Bayfield River. The six were returning from a go- ing -away party for Hill and Web- ster who were about to leave for a trip to Australia. .1414 N Wednesday. November 27, 199;- Hospital battles for survival By Heather Mir T -A Reporter Task force options leave no hospital beds in Exeter MITCHELL- The bad news delivered in Mitchell Fri - ay afternoon swept through Exeter like a virus within a ouple of hours. Those who expected South Huron Hospital to be spared by the Huron Perth District Health Council had their hopes dashed when an announce- ent at the organization's headquarters in Mitchell spelled out an un- ertain future for the delivery of medical services in Exeter. "This is the beginning point of our consultation. Our ultimate scenario may look different," HPDHC Executive Director Fraser Bell told the press at Friday's meeting. The government of Ontario has used the DHC as a vehicle for hospital and health services restructuring in Huron and Perth counties. Many now believe Exeter will be left with virtually no hospital. According to the options, the best scenario for Exeter would see South Huron reduced to either a Primary Care Centre, providing basic emer- gency service through an on-site nurse and on-call general practitioner, or a Primary Hospital with no beds which would provide emergency ser- vices as well as clinics, lab and diagnostic imaging. Task Force Chair Janet Hook admitted hospital closures are a distinct possibility. "At this point we have identified no closures," said Hook adding, "Bed -based service is the minority of what hospitals do today." Shortly after the announcement, hospital employees were busy de- livering a tersely -worded flyer to businesses. The 27 -word message summed up thousands of words that have recently been written in this and many other county newspapers. The upper case letters printed on the flyer reflected concern from hospital officials who consider the future for SHH to be extremely doubtful. "TASK FORCE OPTIONS LEAVE NO HOSP IS TIME"1{('1iel'oQIt Vt7#CIi TO'T'HE013."( LEGIO ON WEDNESDAY, NOVBMHI3R 27 AT 7:30." NOTE - Since this flyer was originally delivered, the meeting loci tion has been changed to the South Huron Recreation Centre. This meeting had previously been scheduled for the Olde Town Hail but it is anticipated Friday's announcement will draw a much larger crowd of interested people than initially expected. When South Huron Hospital Administrator Don Currell spoke to the T- A Friday afternoon, he said he was shocked to hear Seaforth was selected over Exeter as a primary hospital site in the options. "It's inconceivable." Currell fumed. "We're left as a hospital without beds. But I expect thousands of people to fight for their hospital." Two other hospitals in the county: Clinton, and possibly Wingham, will see their operations severely changed if the restructuring options become reality. As well the hospital in St. Marys is slated for a similar fate. Goderich and Stratford hospitals are recommended to become secondary hospitals. Seaforth and either Listowel or Wingham will become primary hospitals under the restructuring alternatives. The release of these three options is expected to cause a battle for sur- Continued on page 2 } SE/P'S valu-mart 4 & 83 Exeter 233-0262 Ike SaturdayR& Drink & Hot Dog '•10a.rM •2p. (93(. 7c G.S.T.; ONE DOLLAR Restructuring Options Option #1 • Two Secondary Hospitals - Stratford/Goderich • Two Primary Hospitals with Acute and Chronic Beds - Listowel/Seaforth Clinton, Exeter, St. Marys and Wingham, in this option, will be investigated with respect to needs, community interest, and cost to determine the non -inpatient service level required. Options generally include: no "institutional" service; a Primary Care Centre configuration; or a Primary Hospital With No Beds. Q •on 82 • Two Secondary Hospitals - Stratford/Goderich • Two Primary Hospitals with Acute and Chronic Beds - Wingham/Seaforth Clinton, Exeter, Listowel, and St. Marys, in this option, will be investigated with respect to needs, The 0 community interest, and cost to determine the non - inpatient service level required. Options generally IIJO include: no "institutional" service; a Primary Care Centre configurat. on; or a Primary Hospital With No Beds. Option #3 . • • Two Secondary Hospitals - Stratford/Goderich • Two Primary Hospitals with Acute and Chronic Beds - Listowel/Seaforth • One Primary Hospital with a Chronic and Rehabilitation focus - Wingham Clinton, Exeter and St. Marys, in this option, will be investigated with respect to needs, community interest, and cost to determine the non -inpatient service level required. Options generally include: no "institutional" service; a Primary Care Centre configuration; or a Primary Hospital With No Beds. (or See definitions page 2) ".51111 is tl1J•iriit,), hrt.�_V mid c'c)ct effective." - ,ferry .1(1(1(1 Plan of action in place to save hospital EXETER - Hospital Board mem- bers, Exeter Council and area town- ship representatives met Monday night to develop a strategic plan to challenge the three options re- leased last week for hospital re- structuring in Huron and Perth. "As far as we're concerned, the only option is Exeter remaining open," said Exeter Councillor Rob- ert Drummond. The group agreed two com- thittees should begin work immedi- ately on a two-pronged approach. One group of people will develop an alternative option that includes South Huron Hospital and the sec- ond will identify a need in the community. Mary Lynn Hetherington of the Ontario Nurses Association stressed the importance of creating a vision for the future of the hos- pital and suggested finding areas to specialize in, such as paliative care or support groups. "Be very proactive. Fight for your hospital but fight with a rea- son and a vision for the future," she said. "When the commission looks at the final report from the District Health Council they are looking for hospitals that have in- novation and energy." The committee will have detailed information available for the public meeting tonight at the Recreation Centre and will develop an al- ternative option with DHC open houses scheduled to begin Dec. 11. The town will work . with Hospital Administrator Don Cuttell to gath- er information supporting a coun- ter -proposal. This data will include infrastructure capacity for future development and studies that show Exeter as one of this area's growth centres. • "We've really been at the suiting edge of cost-effective medicine. We have been doing that for '10 years," $laid Dr. Jerry Jadd. "Maybe we don't have a strong identity as a hosptial " Registered Nurse Manager Doris Wragg works with S.H.H. patient Audrey Barry. 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