Times Advocate, 1996-12-18, Page 2Page 2 j Times -Advocate, December 18,1996 TAT 1 T T �"- T r WS
3
Crash
claims life
CLINTON - A 72 -year-old
woman died after her car collid-
ed with a tractor -trailer on Dec.
6, reported the Goderich Signal -
Star.
Dorothy Cuyler, of Goderich,
was travelling west on Highway
8, west of Clinton, when her
1992 Pontiac slid out of control
and into the path of a tractor -
trailer driven by 53 -year-old
John Haggerty, of Chatham.
fifty -eight-year-old Goderich
resident Jean Bate, a passenger
in Cuyler's vehicle, was listed in
critical condition after being
transported from the Clinton
hospital to Victoria Hospital in
London.
Road conditions were snow-
covered and slippery at the time.
Ontario Provincial Police don't
expect to lay charges as a result
of the accident that closed High-
way 8 for at least an hour.
Fire truck on
hold again
CLINTON - For the second
time this year, plans to purchase
a new fire truck for the Clinton
and Area Fire Department were
defeated by municipalities that
are part of the area's fire board.
A. cording to the Clinton
News -Record, a motion put be-
fore the board in June to pur-
chase a truck in an effort to re-
place a 27 -year-old truck was
defeated when the townships of
Stanley, Goderich and Tucker -
smith voted against the pur-
chase.
The truck committee is expect-
ed to make another recommen-
dation to the board during its
8 meeting.
1
re -rt P"."
damages
house
r...,
BRUSSELS - A Brussels
home was damaged in a blaze
on Dec. 9, reported the North
Huron Citizen.
Are fyefighters battled for an
hour tocsave the William Street
house this belongs to Jim Bridg-
es.
Fire. Chief Murray McArter
told the ..Citizen the fire began
r shostly after noon when a wood-
stodenierheltted, causing smoke
'-'damage ter well as extensive de-
strtttto Rdcthe porch and kitch-
Man killed
while
crossing
highway
SEBRINGVILLE - A 66 -year-
old Sebringville area man was
killed as he tried to cross High-
way 8 on Dec. 9, reported the
Mitchell Advocate.
Orval Ische, of RR 5 Stratford,
was struck by a 1991 Pontiac
driven by Waterloo resident Pe-
ter Neufeld, 42, shortly befcjre 2
p.m.
The accident occurred approx-
imately five kilometres west of
Sebringville.
Flags stolen
from
wheelchair
ramp
GODERICH - Two Canadian
flap were stolen from the
wheelchair ramp at the home of
Dick Eisler, a recent victim of
recurring thefts in the area, re-
ported the Ooderich Signal -Star.
'These hese kids have stooped
pretty low," Gisler told the Star.
"It's not little kids doing it."
Above, members of the Huron -Perth District Health Council
and its Hospital and Related Health Services Task Force pro-
vided Exeter area residents with display information following
a presentation during a public meeting held at the South Hu-
ron Recreation Centre last Wednesday. At right, seven-year=
old Derek Spence of Exeter told Janet Hook and Kelly Gillist,of
the District Health Council he has asthma. His mother Patti
explained she will be forced to move if South Huron Hospital
closes because of Derek's need for prompt health care. Be-
low, Exeter resident Bill Purdy was one of many concemed'cii
izens who spoke about the proposed restructuring of health
rare in Huron County during Wednesday's public meeting•,
• y,.
Public reaction to
Task Force open house
By Brenda Burke
T -A• Reporter
*Mike Underhill, Exeter.
"I can't understand why, this Distiict Health Council spent almost a mil.
lion dollars for a brand new building and they're closing hospital bedsl
And the money that they're using for their salaries - why don't we get rid
of them and we can keep another couple of beds open in hospitals."
•Verla Russell, South Huron Hospital Board. Chair.
"I'm just hoping...the District Health Council will listen to the peo-
ple...By the amount of people that are showing up.,.they can see that it's
very important...People don't feel as if they have done a good vudy...1
think they should think about doing their costing and data before they
brought down an option...Maybe the force was a little rushed."
•Ben Hoogenboom, Exeter Mayor.
"I was shocked, given the facts that are available, when I learned that no
option called for a full-scale primary hospital in Exeter. The task force
must reconsider."
•Erny Robinson, Exeter.
"Our local hospital could possjbly close. It's the most important thing in
our lives when you get to be a senior citizen. We either live where there's
a hospital or we move somewhere else. We have built a home here. We
have plans of staying here for the rest of our lives but if the hospital clos-
es that's certainly going to change our thinking....What happens to the lo-
cal tax bases when all of these people move out? You know, the town will
become a dead town. Doctors will not come to rural communities now.
Exeter's been very fortunate. With a hospital we have been able to keep
doctors here. If the hospital goes, our doctors will go too...I think the hos-
pital is the most important thing in this town's history. It was built by the
people of Exeter with our money....If the hospital closes, then our taxes
should drastically be reduced."
•Dave Stoker, Grand Cove Estates.
"A lot of us retired out here and the hospital is a big factor. I don't think
(residents) would necessarily move away but for new people coming in, it
would be a consideration as to whether or not they would buy...On the oth-
er hand, a sort of emergency type situation with maybe two or four beds
available would probably make a lot of difference...There's always room
for . compromise. Let's face it, I mean nobody's saying that there isn't
room for savings...I'm sure half the beds in Exeter could be closed with-
out hurting anybody...Maybe the local clinics could be enlarged to ac-
commodate a couple of beds and let the local clinics handle it...The main
thing is they have got to listen and not just try and impose something on
us just for the sake of expediency."
•Dr. Peter Englert, SHH physician.
"There are many obvious concerns with these options. My view is the
Huron -Perth population will be far better served by a single secondary
hospital in Stratford. We can't afford to spread our financial and people
resources over two locations (Stratford and Goderich). That will weaken
the system."
•Art Sheppard, Grand Cove Estates.
"There are 700 people in Grand Cove Estates and (the task force) didn't
include it...Senior citizens go to the hospital twice as much as younger
people so in that case you're looking at 1400 instead of 700...Now, in
Grand Bend, you have the squalls coming across the lake...What about
when it's raining and when it's foggy and snowy...There's no mention of
any more ambulances...There's no mention of putting paramedics on a lot
of them. If you've got to go further, you're going to need more am-
bulances...When I bought in there, I considered the medical facilities and
of we have {a,� ►led iyal centre hitt I dglt't go there bec3�ti ittie'rw+8n'f eon
H • r ��rt »; ire; . �i,lr ,ri �Irt{.�ti 'rielen. �9ages
ExeCer: t,�•
•,""1- "(T `)ill.. ,1'r: ' vvc )if " v h: .1�1i_ri . ")u��li ''� .� S 7 .
If yogi have appointments- 'tami-
ly's in Vancouver and my friends are all 80 so you can't depend upon
them to drive you down. And in case of emergency with children I think
it's very bad to drive to London or Stratford and we certainly have used
the (Exeter) hospital. It's the people that came before us that put it up and
we raised money for it.
•Sidney Ramer, Zurich.
"Less than a week ago, my wife had high blood pressure and we were
out in Exeter for two hours...If it wouldn't have been that, where would
we have (gone)? I'm concerned about it (in Zurich). I don't know just too
much about (the task force) but I just don't feel...that we should close
(Exeter hospital)''
•Biddy Camack, Grand Bend.
"No way do we want to lose Exeter hospital. Perhaps it'd be wiser not to
say what one thinks (about the task force.)...It doesn't make sense that
your weather conditions here to expect people to go as far as Goderich.
think a lot of us will be thinking about moving away to other areas when,
there is hospital facilities."
•Clayton Murray, Exeter.
tate an +%o e n w Pf,yen•
'F�f•
Open house stirs emotions
r Continued from front page
staff. Feedback forms were also
provided for the public to identify
strengths and weaknesses of the op-
tions as well as offer suggestions.
"We can do a better job than if
we wait for someone outside the
district," said Task Force Chair
Janet Hook, explaining why re-
structuring should take place.
During the question period fol-
lowing the DHC presentation, sev-
eral residents living in South Hu-,
ron Hospital's catchment area
presented compelling arguments t
for keeping Exeter's hospital ori -
Parents, seniors, educators, tfealith
care workers and consumers eac
had a unique perspective to o
".'We're dealing with peopf
county boundaries," said Jack
dell, explaining much of SHH's
service area lies in Lambton and
Middlesex counties. "Keep the
hospitals open and we'll come up
with your cost savings. This hos-
pital's going to be saved."
Emotional statements were made
by several local residents who rely
on South Huron's proximity and
its familiar staff and surroundings.
Linda Finkbeiner, a heart patient,
said vision problems caused by her
condition would make it very
stressful to be transferred to an un-
familiar facility.
"I have a sight problem but I
think the task force has a vision
problem;" she said to a round of
applause.
Exeter resident Pete Connon said
it would seem the options released
by the DCH task force demonstrate
self-interest by the majority of the
members from the Mitchell, Sea -
forth and Stratford areas. He called
for the HPDHC to resign 'en mass'
and the use of consultants to be ter-
minated. He added it . would be
more equitable to reduce grants to
all the hospitals equally rather than
close any hospitals.
"I fail to see that the DHC serves
any useful purpose," he said add-
ing, "I would suggest the province
make their grant reductions eq-
uitably to each hospital. Let the
individual hospitals adjust the best
they can."
It .was seven-year-old Derek
Spence from Exeter who made one
of the most emotional and im-
portant contributions to the pro-
ceedings. He explained he has
asthma and has to go to the hospital
frequently. His mother Patti told
the DHC a 30 -minute drivg to ser-
vices is not acceptable.
Hook said maintaining emer-
gency services in Exeter was a pos-
sibility under the three options hut
could not be guaranteed.
"Not ood 8nough,'3 said Spence.
"We're g to ave to move be-
cause d'' Ji a depends on it."
./
1
KF:
Children and senior citizens rely
on the hospital for immediate ser-
vice and yet many felt the task
fotce did not consider this in its de-
liberations.
"Haves youconsidered the needs
of public institutions like public
schools," asked Stephen Central
Principal Rob Snell. "I'm taking
about life and dealth here. I don't
want to lose any children."
I1T1plementi:tion
RecornmP;i.!ations from Exeter
Concpriied Citizens Committee
1. A siaalagement structure (that is, Administration)
shall be I�sstablished for all hospitals under one Chief
Executiv$.Officer (C.E.O.)
2. A transitional Hospital Board shall be created, as part
of the Administration, and shall be comprised of two
representatives from each of the existing hospital
boards
3. A transitional Medical Advisory Committee shall be
created, as part of the Administration, and shall be
comprised of the current Chiefs of Staff, or their
designates, from all the hospital boards In Huron and
Perth.
4. This new Administration shall be empowered to
manage the reduced Ministry funding to Huron -Perth
by ensuring that the provision of hospital services to
patients is fully integrated and seamless, and that
services for rural communities are maintained and,
where appropriate, enhanced.
5. Notwithstanding recommendation #4, the
Administration will reduce the number and types of
inpatient beds In accordance with Ministry guidelines
but will take into account the unavoidable •
Inefficiencies of serving a dispersed rural population,
6. The Administration shall determine the basic
requirements of each primary care hospital, but each
shall Include provision for emergency care and a
minimum number of beds for acute care services.
7. The Stratford General Hospital will provide all
secondary level acute inpatlent service, exclgding . .
acute mental health. ` ,•
8. Acute mental health services wIN remain, for the
Immediate future, In Gaderlch.
9. The Administration will explore all avenues of cost
recovery such as renting space to other health services
In local hospitals.
10. The Huron -Perth District Health Council should provide
advice on a planning and Implementation process for
developing an Integrated system of delivery of all
health care services including necessary capital
funding, keeping always In mind the three essential
criteria for evaluation: Access, quality and
affordability.
"I think that the task force is probably locked into the 19th century
20th century. They haven't looked forward to the 21st century...When the
demography, the population, the businesses...clearly (shows) that the Ex=
eter...Grand Bend...northern Lambton, northern Middlesex are a growing
area that really requires a full hospital with beds...How they could look at
our area and say that a glorified emergency is enough - it certainly isn't
for the population."
•Bill Purdy, Exeter.
"I just cannot understand the lack of logic in that they're providing mi
hospital coverage whatsoever for the Grand Bend area and North Lambton
and North Middlesex. There's 10,000 people in that area and surely
they're as important as taxpayers (in) other places. On top of that there's
the summer influx of people, which I understand can be as high as 30,000
additional people and that's an enormous amount of people that need hos-
pital coverage if something goes wrong. '(Task force members haven't)
anywhere near met their own guidelines. They have totally ignored one of
their basic criteria of an equitable amount of access for all areas and they
just haven't paid any attention to that...It's just an extremely poor, shoddy
decision..Exeter is one of the biggest areas of growth in Huron County
and it accounts for aboutt25 per cent of the county's total growth...I can't
understand the logic in moving or closing a hospital in an area that has
substantial growth when it's an area that's already underserviced if you
consider its catchment area which includes Grand Bend and North Lambs
ton and North Middlesex...That's why I'm here. I just can't understand
why they didn't take a business look at it."
•Rick McDonald, Exeter.
For Exeter we need the hospital..(In) a community this size with Highs
way 4 being as busy as it is, you've got to have a hospital because we're
an hour from London to Victoria Hospital emergency services...You can.
see the. strong ' community effort here...Where else are we going to go,
from here? I had three kids born herein the hospital. It means a lot to evel•
• rybody in the community to have somewhere to go when you need med-'
ical attention...I got first-hand experience with the hospital. My frther suf;
feted a major heart attack. They stabilized him in Exeter hospital and then.
they rushed him to London and he made it. If they wouldn't have had the
Rutter hospital, he wouldn't be here e3day."
+CaseyZeehuisen, Exeter. • '
"Well, I' feel some of (the task force) ideas are OK...1 can see trying td'
cut some of the administrative costs and all that kind of stuff...As a real
ident of Exeter I feel we need the hospital because I just lost my Mho)
about a year ago...It was nice having something local as a local taxpaybr
,for ug tb be able to use such a facility...Just say no. I want the hospital lett
as (is) with beds."
•Audrey MacGregor, Exeter.
"Like the speaker said, I think they should forget those three options and
start from scratch again and consider keeping Exeter open in some form."
*Steve Dettmer, Exeter.
"There is no recommendation here as far as I'm concerned. It leaves Es,
eter, Grand Bend, Northern Middlesex right out. Not acceptable."