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Page 14, Whitby Free Press, Wednesclay, June 22, 1994 I Keep acuite care at hospita ilWake Up, befo re it too To the editor: Open lettet residents In ' Designing a Hospital Systemn for the Future,' the steering committee cf the Durham Region District Health Council has corne te the conclusion that Whitby doesenet need an acute care hospital. At least that's the only alternative they have put forward. This sanie committee didn't expeet Whitby rosi dents Wo have an opinion about these recommendations. Consider the fact that they chose a site for their public meeting that would hold only 500 people. Many cf us who turned up et St. Matthew's schooi To the. Editor: Copy (edited) cf brief te the Durham Region acut. car. study steering committee. I do net believe that rosidents cf Durham Region have asked for or have been. asked by the Ontarie government if this region wants a restructure cf the health car. systeni or a restructure cf its hospitals. It je once again the provnc*i government ipsng ter view as W wht theyv believe je a streamlined health care system. Whitby is, according Wo the study, growing at arate of54 per cent, the second-feetest ame in Durham Region. Yet this document insiste that we leave our community Wo get hospitai services elsewhere. The document liste numerous charte quoting percentages. DuringMy 39 yeaspus inthe working field at middle management and under, I have iearned that you can work wonders with figures to obtain the desiredresuits. I amn not questiening the figures submitted by the varieus hospitale, but are the figures showing a true picture cf the facto? In view cf this, I place littie value in these charte, especially when it.Iloe Bite one hospita i n the area wants a larger share cf GRAND OENING EEKN Friday, June 24, 7:00 pm Banquet Saturday, June 25 March for Jesus Sunday, June 26, 10:00 arn Mornlng Worshlp 3:0Opm Openlng Coremnonies Guest Speaker Rev. Bill Prankard C<JÇÇ located at 593 Aima Street Port Perry - L9L 1 C8 Pastor John Benschop For more information cati 985-1346 on Monday, June 13 for the 7 p.m. meeting were barred entry. There were so, many of us, in fact, that the committee had to, quîckly set a second meeting Wo follow at 9 p.m. Unfortunately, somne koy players who attended the first meeting weren't at the second one, leaving us te wonder if they were really Iistoning at ail. In spite of that, thoro were some insightfui, intelligent questions raised and there was ne doubt that those who, attendod were not prepared te roll ovor and play dead while they lost an essontial service. Take a moment te considor these points: 1. The justification that the committee puts forward for romoving acute cars capability froni Whitby 18 that the Whitby the population se it can qualify for larger funding from the governnient. The Ontario Ministry cf Health je crying lack of funds te continue Wo operate theWhitby hospital as it is and W eperate the hospital's emergency ward on a 24-heur basis. The $366,000 spent on this study and the $5. million raised by thie community couid have gorie a long way in creating a rehabilitation wing at Whitby Generai Hompita]. I have been a resident cf Whitby for the past 22 years. I feel that with the proper funding ailocated properly Wo the three major hospitals, they can retain their general hospitai statue and the region will aie benefit. WiIfoed Frank whitby ONE PARENT The North Oshawa One Parent Families group will meet on Wednesday, June 29,' 8 p.ni at Christ Memorial Church, M9ery and Hiilcreft streets, Oshawa. Carde and conversation wil ho hold. Ail single parente are wei- corne. For more information cal 721-8154. SRAWBERRY SUFFER The Whitby Chapter No. 248 Order cf the Eastern Star will hold a strawhorry supper Wednesday, Juno, 29, 5 Wo 6:30 p.m. at the Masonic Hall, 203 Cochrane St., Whitby.nTckets are $7 for adulte, children aged 5-12 $3.50. Cail Joan at 436-0839 or Marilyn at 668-1198. YARD, BAKE SALE A yard and bake sale will ho held at the Whitby Lawn Bowl- ing Club, corner cf Brock and Burnis streets, on Saturday, June 25,8 a.m. Wo 3 p.m. CAR WASH EDS Canada'e third annuel car wash for the UJnited Way cf Oshawa-Whitby-Claringtn wl ho held on Saturday, J une 25, 9 a.m to 3 p.m.,tthobel Gas Bar, Thickson Road and Dundas Street East, Whitby. The mini- mum euggested donation je $3. For more information cali 436- 7377. General Hospital is under-utilized. They p oint Wo numbers that suggest that more of us go to Oshawa anyway for our health care. They say that only 26 per cent of Whitby health caro consumera would be displaced by this movo. What they fail Wo mention je that many ossentiai support services have been removed frorn Whitby, making it impracticai and in many cases impossible for us Wo seek health care at Whitby General. Why would we go W a hospitai that doesn't have the technology we need? You can't evon have a baby in Whitby. 2. Thore is no cost attachod Wo these recommendations. How can we make an informed decision without ail the facts? To thi.e dltoi I wouid like te take this opportunity Wo thank the reidents kf Whitby for turning eut in huge numbers to support their hospital. 1 arn certain that the staff at the haspital feel as heartened as I do te, think that you car. se much about your oSpital. N4o one will dispute the fact that change je essential if we wish to keep the basis elemente cf our health care system without bankrupting the province further. Our politicians have Wo corne te, grpwth our staering debt or we i ail b. faced with a new Zealand-style debt crimed the likes cf which wouid make our current recession seem like a holiday. ONE PARENT FAMILLES The Oshawa chapter cf the On. Parent Familios Association will meet for coffée and conversa- tion on Tuesday, June 28, 8 p.m., at the Croatian Cultural Club, 432 Sumce. St. S., Oshawa. For more information cail Deug at 728-1011. ANNUAL PICNIC The Head Irdjury Association cf Durham Region wiil held apci Sunday, June 26, 2 p.rn. dusk at Camp Samac, Conlin Road, Oshawa. Bring a lewn chair and bathing' suit Ad;misdion free. For assistance with transportation call 723-2732. RECEPTION AIDS Committee Durham will hold a reception for Blade '94 ' Awarenese mý-iÀn. Skating Tour' F'riday, June 24 at noon in the McLaughlin Public Library auditcriuni,Oshawa. Refresh- mente ond sulent auction wili foilow. For roservations oel 723-8201. SENIORS' DANCE Dancing, te the eound cf Janette DoSouza, will ho held at the Whitby Seniors' Activity Contre on Saturday, June 25 7:30 p.m. For tickets, $6,, cal1 668-1424. 3. What other community the size of Whitby doos flot have an acuto cars hospital te serve its population? 4. Why, when Whitby je the socond-fastost- growing municipality in the region, would you romove its hospital? How will that better serve the comnmumity? 5. Where je Whitby General administration's voice? 1 can only go by what rve read and seen and it appears that it makes no differonce whatkidnd of caro the hospital provides, as long as it stys open and provides empioyment for theni. The suggestion je that this je- a done deal. Do you accept that? 6. It was significant Wo me that Cathorine Tunney, ropresenting the committeo, of the hospita I would like the acute care study committee te, consider a strategie alliance with either Oshawa Generai Hospital or Ajax Pickering Hospital as a solution Wo keep al aides happy in this matter. An amalgamation would both save money ar>d aliow the residents cf Whitby, Oshawa and Ajax to choose where they would like to go for their hsita services. It was made clear Wo me that several hundred resdents wished Wo keep using Wbitby General Hoepitalgain for showing Up Wo voice your support. A.J. IDAngelo Chief off Medicine Chair, EegnyServie" Non -profit which areased ouin Whlhy or have a substanitiel WhItby place their page at no cost. oorwkviie s Won tla r àhy or no5pM. REUNION MEETING The Infertility Information in Durham Support Group will hold a reunion meeting Wednesday, June 22 et 7 p.m. in the community room, Durham Regional Police Station, Brock Road and Hlighway 2, Pickering. Everyone weicome. For information call Janice (619-1733 or Susan (655-4833) or Senia (404-8114). BEANS & JEANS The Beans & Jeans dinner and dance will ho held by the Reform Party cf Canada, Ontario riding, on Friday, June 24, 7:30 p.m., et Annandale Golf and Country Club. Dress je jeans or western garb. Cost je $18 pr person or $35 per couple if tickets are purchased in advance b y calling 905-831-5217 or 905-686-0278. Cost et the. door je $20 per person, $40 per couple. BIBLE SCHOOL Daiy vacation bible school will ho held et Whitby Baptiet Church, 411 Gilbert St, (et Reynolds Street), July 4 W ,,9 tW 11:30 a.m. Thore is a full programn for kids aged, 5-10 with crafte, songe, gaines,. activities and snacks. ttgi stration $5 per chiid covers 1.ail supplies. To pre-register cal the. church office at 668-9711 (weekday niornings). board that wili respond We the steering commutteo's recommnendations, sidestepped declaring whethr éls supported or opposed thýD report finding, giving no Indication what the officiai hospitai response might be. Iosthe hoépital afr-aid to take a stand? She je oneocf thoso who je ambivalent about where she gets her hospital care. I. Whore je Town counicills voice in this most important decision? Shouidn't our duly eiected representatives be making ail sorts of effective noise right now? 8. What about our MPP? What does lhe have to say about al of this? Most important what je he doing about it? 9. Whitby'e sole voice on this committee was its hospital board chair. Where did hie stand on the issue of Whitby louing its acute care hospital? The moderator cf the meeting said, with 9ome, pride, that parochiaiism didn't corne into play in making- the final recommendatione. To my way cf thinking, that is a mistake. HosPitals are nt just about bidngs and equipmnent, they are about people. It seems tW nme that the people cf Whitby aren't even bein coniderd i this study. 1. Will cmuuyinut really ho taken serous ý4ne committee has had 13 menths tW pepare a discussion paper Wo which we had there weelcs te, respond. Their achedule suggosts implementation should begin in the. fali or winter-of 1994. How does that aliow for mea*iingful discussion or full considerdtion cf alternative plans? WIl we bo listened Wo? ls this a discussion paper or a workigbiuejprint? 11. What about ail the money's raised by this community in support cf the hoSpital and in anticipation cf expansion cf facilities? Where wiil it go? More important does this fundraising effort net speak loudly Wth e commitment of Whitby residents Wo having a viable acute care facility in its community? 12. Why did Mouchoose to ive in WhitbyWl it be the saine cornmunity, without a hospital? Severai speakers said it didn't mattore much to them where they get service, but spoke in faveur cf keepiniz the acute care Wherever posibe, I go Wo =htb DGneraiHoitam Iko wo'tbe trnd away itnpreference for an Oshawa or Aja residont. I don't have Wo wait four heurs for emergency treatmnent. I don't have to spend the night on a bed in a busy hailway. I don't feel forgotten. I know the heaith care workers care about me. (Thates net tW suggest that at éther facilities thoy don't care, but a patient can only judge byhler experience). We were Wold at this meeting that these4 recommendations shouidn't ho the catalyst for sq uabbling between communities wherein we have only our own seifish interest at heart. Thats pretty hard Wo swallow in Whitby when we're flghting for our lives. If pretecting our best interest je interpreted as solilh or petty, thon T Iecà g est hcfa' hat wl1lihae.1W The true piucture?. Alliance suggested