Rick Byers attended the Save the Hospital Rally on May 7th in the town of Durham. The rally was called to offset the spin and talking points of the CEO and the Chair of the Board and to give members of that community an opportunity to hear details about the recent decision that will result in the closure of the Durham hospital. Self serving statements by the CEO and Chair leave us with more questions than answers.
Several speakers at that Rally addressed the anxiety people were feeling with the loss of their precious hospital. Not only were local elected officials blindsided by the announcement on April 25th, but many members of the community also felt shocked. They didn’t believe it could happen here… not in Grey County!
MPP Byers was one of the speakers at the Rally. He brought condolences to the community and said he could appreciate their anxiety in the face of this situation. He thanked the members of the Board who were involved in the decision and said it was not easy for them either. Light and polite applause was received for this statement of solidarity with the Board as community members still struggle to understand what happened. Byers committed to provide feedback to the Board about the Rally and “to do whatever I can to help out”. He specifically mentioned recent educational incentives for health care workers and an enhanced role for pharmacists, failing to mention that the educational enhancements will bear fruit several years down the road whereas the people in Durham need help now. He mentioned his role in healthcare appropriations in this area. He did not specify exactly who he intends to help and cautioned he “cannot guarantee outcomes but can guarantee effort”. More very light and controlled applause.
The CEO has recently stated that the beds in question will be in alternate locations for an ”indefinite period of time”. What does that mean you might well ask? It means the hospital is being disassembled. Indeed, there is evidence that lab equipment purchased with funds from the local foundation has already been moved.
So, consideration must be given to MPP Byers’ role in this event. Was he blindsided like the local mayor and other elected officials, or did he at least get some advance notice? If he had advance notice surely he would have shared that with the Mayor and/or Council. He wouldn’t have wanted them to be left without sufficient time to formulate a response.
Is there any information that we can find about this important question? We recently came across a copy of the OMA News. The Ontario Medical Association represents and advocates for over 43,000 physicians, medical students, and retirees. They print articles about topics of interest in the healthcare field. Information about hospitals and changes to their function and service are one key area of interest for this group.
This newsletter is usually distributed only to members of the Ontario Medical Association; their membership entitles them to receive it online. However, it is on the internet and a copy of the May 3rd edition was brought to my attention. The title of the piece is, “Two EDs in Southwest Ontario Converting to Urgent Care Centres”. It goes on to explain that of the four hospitals that are part of the South Bruce Grey Health corporation, the Chesley and Durham hospital sites will “soon transition to UCC’s, which treat urgent but non-life-threatening illness or injury” while the Walkerton and Kincardine sites will remain open 24/7.
The article goes on to say that the OMA was reaching out to learn more about the “timeline for this change and the potential impact on rostered patients who visit the UCC’s with non-urgent issues.” As part of that probe contact was made with those who might have valuable information. “We met with Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Rick Byers this week to discuss this important issue”. I contacted Corey Hull, an Advisor of the Government Relations & Advocacy Committee for the OMA. He confirmed that this committee had a meeting with MPP Byers to talk about this situation and also said that they are looking to set up meetings with a couple of other MPP’s who may have more to say. They are continuing to seek more clarification.
So, again, we ask. What did Rick Byers know and when did he know it? Mr. Hull said he is confident in the information provided in the newsletter. What is Byers’ version of events? Have we misunderstood? The ball is in his court.
Brenda Scott
Co-chair, Grey Bruce Health Coalition
Image courtesy of Save the Durham Hospital
To me this is a little of “who shot john”? The staffing problems at both Durham and Chesley have been on going, Why didn’t people get outraged when the ED was closed more than it was open?? I guess no one thought they were in danger of losing their hospital. Those of us that have worked in health care in this area have have been saying this for a long time. The first time the ED was closed was the time people should have started talking to their MP,MPP, and local officals and not been so complacent. Sometimes you have to grease a wheel a long time before it seizes all together
You are right Jan! The community should have been up in arms! I guess everyone thought that was hospital managements’ job to staff and board members would look after this matter and advocate for the whole SBGHC amalgamation instead of this back handed way and squeeze one or two? out.
I think Mr Byers knew ahead of everyone!! The fact that he hid this from the people that put him in office is downright embarrassing to him. Whatever does happen please remember Byers when it comes time to vote!!!
I will definitely remember this when I vote
I feel this is decision made a while back, my concern is are the doctors going to stay in Durham with cuts in hours and half pay. I think not.
Now we are scheduled to build a big new nursing home who is going to look after those people, with no doctors.
This town is 55 % seniors and you are taking away the one thing they depend on in latter stages of life. We have had our high school taken away years ago and now our hospital, and they are blaming it on nurse shortage, sound to me like the decision was made to close small hospitals and go to big centres.
Don’t blame nurse shortage when you know this decision was made by higher ups , long ago!
I wrote Doug Ford on those issues Joyce. Politics have always played a big part in Durham if Eric winkler never lived in Hanover we would have had the mega school and god knows what our town would look like today . Your MPP was corrected on a couple of things he said at the rally by the MPP that came up from the city. I hope people remember this Byers guy when election time rolls around. Funny how most of the board lives around the kincardine and Walkerton area…. Again politics