A14- The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, December 19, 2001 Chair of local health — council says he tried NEARLY EIGHT years of involvement in local health issues ended for Bob Kelly last week when his appointment as chair of the Terrace and Area Health Council was rescinded and the coun- cil ilself was dissolved. It and other health councils throughout .the north were replaced by the Northern Health Authority, based in Prince George. “T believe | tried to make a difference,” said Kelly last week. He began with the im- mediate predecessor to the health council and then conlinued on when the health counci] was cre- ated. That included an earlier failed attempt to create a regional health authority. It was soon dismantled in favour of local com- munity health councils across the northwesl And thal brought an un- easy structure in which communities were often seen to be competing in- stead of co-operating on regional health. care issues. “It was a hard slog and very stressful,” said Kelly. Although there was aa attempt to: create repional -harmony through what was called a Council of Chairs, a group made up of health council chairs, Kelly was never comfortable with the idea. That’s because deci- sions ‘were made by con- sensus and there was rever any real regional decision- making structure. That caused conflict, for instance, when the local health counci! wan- ted to declare Mills Mem- orial as a regional trauma centre. But regional co-opera- tion did work out when Bob Kelly Mills had to closed its re- gional psychiatric unit a year ago because it didn’t have a psychiatrist to act as a clinical director. In that circumstance, the health council in Prince Kupert loaned a re- cently-recruited psychiatr- isl to the psych unit until ones could be found who would be based in Terrace. “It was beginning to work but there was still a long ways to go. It didn’t have time to come to fruition,” Kelly said. He did recommend to the legislative standing committee on health that a regional health authority be ‘created with the power to make decisions. Kelly also suggested that the provincial govern- ment order changes to be made at the same time re- ‘ garding regional health is- sues sd the new authority could then enact them tight away. That would mean less time and bring about im-— provements faster, he said. Kelly said last week he hopes the new health au- thority recognizes the qua- lifications of former Ter- race and Area Health Council chief executive officer Dieter Kuntz. “T hope he’s not lost in the system,” Kelly said. Central northern health body touted as solution to infighting THE NEW Northern Health Author- ity should succeed in doing away with competition between communi- ties and hospitals for services, says its chief executive officer. “There’s now a single governance entity for the north and it will have representation across the north and there is a single administration,” said Peter Warwick last week. “Ill be looking at issues with the result of having less of that type of behaviour,” he said. “There is an opportunity here for collaboration and sharing,” Jealousies and competitions for services between communities and health care authorities had been la- belled as problems with the former health care management system based on having health councils i each community. - *What you have to remember is ‘we are all the same system,” said Warwick of the new health authority wiping, out geographic boundaries and boundaries between different kinds of services. “The goal here is to create a seamless system.” Part of that means having a man- agement structure which can cut across different types of care to make sure patient services are first, said Warwick. He and authority chair Harry Gaitns, appointed last week along with Warwick, will be spending the next while coming up with at least an interim management structure, Questions about the role of former CEOs for now-defunct community health councils, possible severance packages amounts and the like will have to wait until things get sorted out, Warwick said. “We have to make sure we are creating a system that is responsive to health care,” Warwick said. One decision already made is to appoint chief operating officers for each of the three healih care service delivery areas that are part of the Northern Health Authority. They'll be responsible for direct patient care. Warwick was unable to comment on other matters tied to the new au- thorities — moving some services to large cities and basing specialists in centralized locations. “]’ve not seen those statements.” That’s being viewed by some, in- cluding provincial politicians, as one way of ensuring there are medical services outside of large urban areas. But Warwick did doubt if there could be a wholesale shift of spe- cialist services to Prince George, for example. , “1 don’t think you'll find much of a change to the northwest referral paltern,” said Warwick. “Unless somebody starts an air- line from the northwest to Prince George, the northwest has a pattern of going south. [ don’t see any shifts in that.” Natural gas rates to go down on Jan. 1 NORTHWESTERNERS will ring in the new year with a natural gas rate de- crease on Jan. 1. A net decrease in natur- al gas bills of about 10.6 per cent for residential users will apply if rates proposed last week by Pa- cifie Northern Gas are ap- proved, according to the B.C. Utilities Commission. ' The change would ‘ make natural gas heat, which now is about on par with the cost of electric heating, about eight per cent cheaper. The change is being driven by a decrease in the cost of the natural gas. But that reduction masks an attempt by PNG to increase by about 15 per cent the rate it charges custamets to deliver the pas to them. PNG says the delivery cost increase is justified because its projected reve- nue next year won’t be nearly enough to tecover the cast of its service at present rales. The utility is projecting decreased gas sales of $4.7 million and increased ser- vice costs of $2.1 millian. The application fore- casts decreased consump-- tion of natural gas by resi- dential and industrial and Happy New Year from Roger . Harris, e- otc . users. In particular, it fore- casts Skeena Cellulose won't operate in 2002 and no gas will be sold ta it. Some homeowners have switched to other heat sources, it noies Part of PNG’s applica- tion is to increase its re- turn on equity to share- holders from 10 per cent to 40.63 per cent, adding $1.4 million to service delivery costs borne by users. OPEN HOUSE . ps Please come und join Roger and his staff SO - “ for a Christmas Open House Thursday, - Me December 20th from 2-5 p.m. bd a—t * te.e & 4623 Pork Ave., Terrace “> CSS Phone 615-4828 * Candles Bubble Bath Keychains Mind Puzzles oat ~ Skeena Mall=Terace ® Aromatherapy © Kitchen ‘Gadgets ® Bath Pillows * Slippers ie “Boutiques. “800-569-4362 Terrace Churches Food Bank’s Kathy Miller, accepts a $300 cheque from the staff of the Terrace Builders Do-it Centre. Pictured with Kathy are some staff members from Terr The money was gene SRW Terrace Builders ‘3207 Mun roe Stree Even are C call 1 call 1 TH January 1, 2002, our emergency crews will be on hand 24 hours a day to keep your | holiday bright: In the event of an emergency, Call centres will also be closing early on December 24 and 31. For general inquiries between 7 am - 5:30 pm. : Wishing yau a safe and happy holiday. ace Builders Do-it Center. rously donated by the staff. “ALL MAJOR CREDIT. :* ‘ARDS ACCEPTED though our offices and call centres losed on December 25, 26, and 888 POWERON (1 888 769-3766). 800 BCHYDRO (1 800 224-9376) wate Hate ~ E POWER, Ls YOURS ‘BGhydro & AD1-922 Windshield Washer Fluid Good ta -40° C 4 Litre Size ProStart Remote Control Car Starter Power Door Locks Anti-Theft Systems Extra Some Vehicles May Require Additional Relay 10:00 am 34-0680-0 :00 am - 9:00 pm " = 5:0 317-84