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Page 2. Whitby Free Pres, Wednesday, June 29, 1994 Buffett inulted' by criticism of his attitude toward proposed changes 1(9"5) 14i ROTARY C M AUAR$ SPrim Numbers f«r une 18 - 2 1541 1006 1262 1148 [2844.0961061 WHAT A VI EW From your farnily size kitchen or the fabu loue 3 level cedar deck. Over looks green space & park. Very peaceful! Coscan "Balmoraf model. Over 2200 square feet. Immacuate. Neutral deoor. Fully Iandscaped with interIoEk drive & walkways. $2 19,900 Blair Buchanan, 436-1800 Ceràily, ,21 Hancock Realty Ltd. Each office independently owned aýd operated. e MEMBER OF THE TORONTOAND OSHAWA REAL ESTATE BOARDS have made a proposai that wilI at least keep the hospital open. Responding to lest week s Free Press article in which Kr. Ken Hobbs asked Buffett and other hospital board members to resign, Buffett stated that he wasn't going to resign. He later explained that the province had previously indica- ted that the Whitby hospital could no longer be an acute care facility, and that "the statue quo was not an option." Buffett said that despite the provincese intentions, t he Dur- ham Acute Care Study Commit- tee decided to "examine the via- bility of keeping that status quo." The committee uindependently came te the conclusion that the statue quo was not viable.» Buffett said he told fellow com- mittee members that sueh a con- clusion was «not acceptable" and he threatened te quit the com- mittee. When the recommendation was made te, make the hospital into a regional rehabilitation centre, Buffett said he told com - mittee memnbers that such a re- strictive option waa «not sale- able." «It wasn't everything we wan- ted, but it's something,» he said, adding that the study document Uis not carved in stone.» The on]y other option was te close the hospital, said Buffett, and «I do not want to see the doors of that institution locked.» Moreover, "We intend to fight to retain aà of Our outpatient surgery," said Buffett, noting that te hospital board, now under new chair Jim Souch, also 'twill fight to keep acute care beds. «We will not have an emer- gency ward, but may fight te have an urgenýt- care service." And other servces provided at the hospital 'vIl be expanded under the renab echeme, he added. o«I support rehabilitation as one ofthe roles of the hospital,» Buffett stated. ]Buffett also described as %ttally irresponsible» a Whitby doctor's previous remarks about premature deaths possibly resulting from changes in the hospital services. He also said Hobb' statement that rehabilitation means «chronic care" is untrue, to which Hobbs, one of the protesters attendin themeig pld "rubbish5 etng ele Many of the protesters were fromn the newly formed Save Our General Hospita1 group (see separate story. According te the hospital annual meeting pro- cedures, they were not allowed te, Bpeak. Buffett also reacted to criti- nosm that the steering committee had not properl conducted the 3tudy He said tke entire process ,.ou1d't be public, otherwise it would have taken years. He added that a year ago only one Whitby resident and two from Brooklin attended two meetings at which input on the study could be given. «Frankly, I ask you, where have y ou been?" Buffett said only 12 physicians attended a physiciane' forum and public forum in Whitby. rrT. t II& t. âni 'gip 1 9 'ow w!Listed -g -S297-7-j.OOi - 1 CALL ROSEMARY BROWN 433-2121.,..,,,!