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Page 14, Whitby Free Press, Wednesday, June 29, 1994 I T ~T~1~' I 'Irrefutable fýacts'. about hosp ital services To the Editor At a public meeting held at St. Matthew the Evangeliet Catholie Scbool on June 13, 1 made the statement that if the Durham Region Acute Care Study was implemnented, we, tbe people of Whitby, would be "'condemned to prolanged suffering and in somne cases premature death." At a meeting beld at Cullen Gardens an Juns 22, Ed Buffett saw fit to accuse me of being "totally irresponsible" for making this statement. Perbaps it is bis conviction that any statement of truth is irresponsible. I challenge Mr. Buffett in bis rale as a member of tbe acute care steering committee to answer the following questions. If Whitby Generat Hospital (WGH) was cosed (rebabilitatian centre would ho tbe same as cloeure as far as the residents of Whitby are concerned, idiotic phrases such as "centre of excellence" notwitbstanding), what plans bas the district health council made to take care of us? Glib answers such as 'aur healtb cars needs will be met by Ajax-Pîckering Hospital (APH-) and the Oshawa Generai Hospital' (OGH) are unacceptable. I wish to know specifically baw many beds will ho made available for Witby residents, how will these beds be provided by institutions tbat are crowded, the cost of provi ding sucb beds, and tbe cost of converting WGH to a rehabilitation centre? Failure ta respond to these questions will ho intorpreted as ignorance of tbe answers. I outline saine irrefutable facts and I will asIc the public of Whitby to decide where tbe irresponsibility lies. 1. When WGH opened in 1969 there were about 97 acute beds. Later we were reduced ta 65. During tbe fail and winter mantbs wben the demand for beds is highest, several patients witb acute iîlnesses bave bad to wait a day and sornetimes longer for admission to WGH. Saine bave even resorted to reporting to tbe emergency departM.ent, knowing fuît well that tbey may have to spend at tsast one night lying on an uncomfortable stretcher. 2. During the peak months, APH has frequently redirected patients to.WGH because of lack of beds. With the opening of the new wrng and closure of most of the old, APH bas flot ganed anv increase in beds, and I fully anticipate redirection to begin again later in the year. S3. OGH is even at this Urne crowded because of closure of beds due ta financial restraints. Thiis bas prompted a patient ta write a letter ta the Toronto Star, 'Horrifie thirty hours spent jammed in hospital area.' I would encourage Mr. Buffett to read this letter. 4. Emphasis has been placed on day surgery as one slution ta, the bed shortage. However, day surgery is not new. It bas been practised for years' by the disciplines of optbalmalogy (e.g. cataract surgery) and orthopaedics (e.g. knee surgery). In spite of tbis there bas been no measurable impact on the death of acute care beds. Undoubtedly, this is due ta the fact that we are living longer, and the need for acute beds is proportional to longevity. le the district health cauncil suggesting that we ignore our seniors? 5. Day surgery bas only recently been applied to general surgery witb the advent of the laparoscope. Its greatest impact has been on gail bladder rernoval. Unfortunately, the waiting list for this type of surgery at OGH is about 12 to 18 manths. Four of the surgeons from OGH are now using our facility in an attempt to reduce their waiting list. 6. Numeraus Whitby patients bave been resuscitated at WGH. Were it not for tbe praximity of tbe bospital and the skill of the nurses, duty physicians and internists, many of these patents, if not ail, would bave bad a premature deatb. RefUte this fact if you can, Mr. Buffett, and enligbten me as to the extent of my irresponsibility. 7. The acute cars study shows that 70 per cent of Wihitby patients are using other bospitals. As many bave pointed out, this figure is meaningless as tbere is no mention of tbe services not available at WGH. Also, our 65 beds are filled so rapidly in the peak months that admission ta, LEN CULLEN (far right) watches as suppor- ters of acute care services at Wqhiby Generai Hospital march outside Cullen Gardens where the hospital's annual general meeting other hospitals is inevitable. 8. The figures given in the acute care study show that at tbe present tino the population between ages 30 and 44 make up 25 per cent of our population. fteon yoars hence tbat percentage drops ta 17.7. This degres of dilution must mean an influx of a large number of yaung people. Perbaps Mr. Buffett does show some foresigbt, becauso if WGH was closed, these young people would require réhabilitation at an earlier age. 9. The consultants hirsd ta, was heki last Wednesday night (see story on page 2). "1 think i's good protest,» said Photo by Maurice Piflier, Whitby Free Press carry out tbe study were the second choice of the district hoalth council. What ever bappened ta the firet group of consultants? Suroly it could not bave been their credibitity of competence, or they would nat, and sbauld not, bave been the district healtb councils firet chaise. Perbaps I can persuade the editor of the Whitby Free Press ta contact this firmn and get their verision of tbe saga. 10. At the June 13 meeting Mr. Buffett stated 'We cannot always get what we want" Awaken, Mr. Buffett, WGH is not atluxury -- itàsa necessity. Mr. Buffett should hear residents of Whitby clamoring 'bands off our baspital.' Botter s3titl, Mr. Buffett, grasp your preciaus study and take a running leap inoLake Ontario. A coldcip may well bel p ta reduce your cephalc circumference ta the normal range. M. RIL Rayman Chief of Surgery Wbitby General Hospital BROOKLr1Tje Fair parade organizers miffed over mayor ' s sudden depnarture Organizers of the parade at the recent Brooktin Spring Fair were a little surprised wben Whitby Mayar Tom Edwards, who was supposed tao a ne of the participatirig celebrities in the event, suddenty drove away just as the parade was ta begin. Edwards arrivod a bit tater than the scheduted start turne for the parade. Parade coordinatar Sharon MacYinnon says be par- ked in a soggy area ho was tald not ta go ta, and bis car becamo stuck. MacKinnon says Edwards demanded that bis car ho pulled out immediately, despite assurances frain organizers that bis car cauld be pIlted out by tractor, foltawing the parade. "Ho was realty bettigerent about it,7 says MacKinnon, a member of Group '74, the women's group that organizes the annual fair parade. "He wautdn't listen ta anybody» Mac.innan says she was aIea asked by Edwards ta phono Tawn hall ta get him anather vehicle. Wben bis request was finally met and bis car was pulted out, Edwards thon drove away -- teaving Gue Brawn atone in tbe vehicle ini which the mayor was ta ride, close ta the front of the parade. Whitby caunciltor Marcel Brunette rsptaced the mayor in the vehicle. «TMe parade was at a standstill because af the detay," says Macinnon, adding she was later questianed by some parade entrants about the wait ta get the parade started. She described bis behaviaur as «insulting,» adding "«ho lost a lot of credibilitythat day.n Edwards admits ho arrived late, having only recently picked up, at Taronto airport, bis daugbter, son-in-law and grand- cbildren, froin San Diego, Calif. Edwards, who says ho bas been in the parade or at the fair for each of the at 30 years, says ho was unabie ta articipate in the parade because ho 'had othor appointments, and had ta have bis car. Ho also dlaims he was directed ta park in the sogg area of the school property where the parade begzan. Edwards aiea denies that ho asked for another vehicte frain Town hall, sinoe ho only uses bis own car. Ho adds that ho attended the fair the next day and "I bad a wanderful tirno." As for bis- sudden departure Saturday marning, Edwards says «I regret very much that my turne limitations caused me ta ho tate.» Ironically, it was Edwards wbo recentty approached the Wbitby Junior Chainher of Commnerce/ Jaycees about holding a Canada Day parade in Whitbv. t, t' **~, ~ ~OF AP NOTICE TO RESIDENTS WITH FRIDAY GARBAGE AND BLUE BOX COLLECTION Please take note that garbage and recycling collections will be cancelled on Canada Day, Frodoy. Juy 1, 1994, due to the Holiday closings of the Waste Disposai Facilities. The alternate collection date will be Monday, .uly 4, 1994, for both garbage and blue box materials. Only those residents scheduled to receive blue box collection on Friday, July 1, 1994 will receive blue box collection on Monday, July 4, 1994. If you have any questions regarding this collection change, please contact Browning Ferris Industries at 619-6506 (Garbage), Miller Waste Systems at 1-800-461-1582 (Recycling), or the Town of Pickering Public Works Departmnent at 420-4630 or 683-2760. Stephen A. Vokes, P. Eng. Di rector of Public Works BROOKLIN PHARMACY.. 65 BALDWIN ST. BROOKLIN LOB 100 905- 655- 3301 POISON IVY Contact with any part of finger nails. Clean the this plant can cause a skin with rubbing alcohol. nasty skin eruption or You may apply calamine allergic contact dermatitis lotion or a topical cor- *which may last for weeks. tisone cem f Wash the skin immed- Antihistamines such as iately and thoroughly with Benadryl or Seldane may-: ordinary soap and don't help to reduce itching. j orget to dlean under Consuit your Pharmacist.