Editor:
I thought that the community might be interested to hear in brief how my meeting with the chief operating officer of Northern Health, Michael McMillan went.
Mr. McMillan made it clear to me that plans for the new hospital are still in state of flux and there will be many changes made before a plan is finalized.
I think the issue of the operating room (OR) met with strong opposition from Mr. McMillan, who stated to me that we did not have the staff to appropriately use the OR.
During the meeting I was told that Burns Lake would not be able to recruit the necessary general practice surgeons and general practice anesthetists.
I understand from Mr. McMillan, that the Robson Valley has four medical doctors working as salaried doctors, no obstetrics done, but that women are receiving good care there.
After much discussion from the group, who strongly pointed out the issue of distance to care and the danger of the winter roads and the strong opposition to leaving Burns Lake to have babies, he said to us that he would pencil in a space on the plans that could be used as an OR at a later date.
The group was pleased to hear this concession, but made it clear that we felt this was simply the opening position, which we hoped to change before construction began.
We also understand that Northern Health is determined to build a new hospital in Burns Lake and that it will never be a diagnostic treatment center precisely because of our distance to the nearest 24/7 emergency room.
Smithers and Vanderhoof are well out of the provincial standard of one hour to the nearest emergency room.
It was noted that the standard of care in B.C. is much farther than the Ontario standard of 40 kilometres to a 24/7 emergency room.
Mr. McMillan agreed to a public forum, but asked of me that the focus be on getting the funds released for the new hospital.
He pointed out to me that as yet, the funds to build the new hospital have not been released and that it would take strong community support to gain the necessary funds from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance.
The meeting concluded with the group agreeing that a community meeting in the near future was essential.
Sincerely,
Paula Van Tine