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Speak Up

At its last meeting on June 9, the members of the Grand Falls General Hospital Community Health Committee appointed a delegation of five members to meet with the Minister of Health, Hon Michael Murphy as well as our local MLA and Minister of Agriculture and Aquaculture, Mr.Ronald Ouellette, concerning the progress of future renovations for our hospital. Further to this, on July 2, this delegation, including the Town of Grand Falls’ Deputy Mayor and two doctors, met in Grand Falls with the Health Department’s Deputy Minister, Mr. Donald Ferguson along with Mr. Ouellette and his office staff for the purpose of obtaining an update of the current situation concerning the renovations of the Grand Falls General Hospital.

Mr. Ferguson mentioned that before coming to Grand Falls to meet the committee, he had spoken numerous times with the Minister of Health, Mr. Murphy, to assure and reaffirm his commitment toward our hospital. Furthermore, he asserted to us that the Minister of Health views our hospital as a provincial centre for surgery of short duration.

In the government's health plan, Mr. Ferguson said that the Sullivan firm was hired recently to prepare the architectural plans for the new surgical unit for the Grand Falls General Hospital in the amount of $400,000 as approved in the 2008-2009 provincial budget. Representatives of this firm will be visiting the hospital in the next two weeks. The president of the committee, Mrs Riette Godbout Roy asked Mr. Ferguson for a possible meeting between the Community Health Committee/GFGH and the representatives of the Sullivan firm which was extended. The deputy minister confirmed that an amount of $4 million or more (as required) will be approved in the capital budget for 2009-2010 for these renovations. Mrs. Riette Roy asked if that meant the construction could begin on April 1st, 2009? According to Mr. Ferguson, "after the capital budget is approved, calls for tender would be appropriate". It is on this sensitive point that several questions were raised by members who worry about the due dates schedule of this work because provincial elections will take place in 2010. Another equally important question is the definition of a surgical ward block. "Does "block" mean two operating rooms? Dr. Line Lavoie-Dufour and the Dr. Daniel Roy, who were present, discussed the importance of having two operating rooms and the doctors are very worried about the lack of anaesthetists in the hospitals across the province. Dr. Lavoie-Dufour took the occasion to express her displeasure with the current location of the imagery services (X-ray, ultrasound, etc.) which is much too distant from the emergency ward at the hospital and endangering patient's lives. This matter will also be reviewed during architectural planning according to Mr. Ferguson.

Concerning our status within Region A, the deputy minister informed us that our hospital will probably have its own administrative manager who will answer directly to the vice-president of Region A in Bathurst. The organizational chart of Region A will be known soon because these positions must be in place by September.

Before adjourning, Mr. Ferguson, added that upon his return to Fredericton, he will take the time to dwell on the questions which he was not able to answer and that he would address these matters soon by email with our committee chair.

Mrs. Riette Godbout Roy expressed her satisfaction with this meeting and thanked Minister Ouellette for having his office organize it. She also thanked the deputy minister, Mr. Ferguson, for taking time from his busy schedule for being here to enlighten the committee about future endeavours at our hospital. By wanting to leave a message to our elected members, in parting she adds that the Community Health Committee/GFGH members will always have the hospital file at heart and will remain vigilant.

Community minded yours,

Community Health Committee/GFGH