A10 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, April 1, 1999 MLA calls for SKEENA NDP MLA Helmut Giesbrecht says he’s just about got health minister Penny Priddy convinced to send up experts to help out Mills Memorial Hospital. Giesbrecht said he spoke to Priddy last Friday about the importance of providing people to suggest better ways of spending money at the hospital. ‘*With the kind of events going on it seems a review of some aspects to offer them help is in order,” said Gies- brecht. The MLA framed his remarks about the possibility of the hospital receiving a budget increase for its new fis- cal year beginning April 1. If there is going to be some kind of lift in the budget, then the issues of spending and distribution of resources have to be settled once and for all,’’ said Giesbrecht, *‘] don’t think we can expect a Jifl and then carry on as be- fore,” Mills has been hurt by years of little or no budget in- Council backed SKEENA NDP MLA Hel- mut Giesbrecht has defend- ed the manner in which people are chosen for com- munity health councils. He said people are selected to be as representa- tive of the community as possible. ‘If there are choices based on ethnicity or gen- der, it is a policy decision,” said Giesbrecht. He was responding to a report by provincial auditor general George Morfitt who felt the way health council inembers are chosen doesn’t ‘identify the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities of individual gover- nors.”’ The councils were brought in by the provincial govern- ment replace locally-elected Societies who used to min hospilals and other health care facilties. The Terrace Azea Com- munity Health Council is responsible for Mills Memerial Hospital. Giesbrecht said not every- thing can be by a formula. “This is not the kind of thing that can be done on a standard accounting meth- od,”? said Giesbrecht of auditor-general § Morfitt’s comments. ‘It is a policy decision.”’ He challenged opposition party clains that people were chosen because they are NDP members or sympathizers. "I defy them to prove that a person is incompetent or can’t do the job,”’ said Gies- brecht of appointments. He noted that not all of the members of the Terrace Area Community Health Council could be considered NDP supporters. “Peggy Julseth would certainly be surprised to iearn that,’ he said of the former Thornbill regional district director who now sits on the council. Giesbrecht said he’s confi- dent the community health council, after a few adjust- ments, will acquire the kind of experience needed to govern the’ hospital and other facilities. ‘Under the old days any- body with $2 could join ( society) and only 30 people would show up for a meet- ing and decide who would be on the board. How is that any better than what we're doing now,” the MLA said, Health council chairman Larisa Tarwick, speaking before Morfitt’s report was released, said previous health care bodies tended to have on them Social Credit party members when their party was in power. kkk The last two appointments for the Terrace Area Com-, munily Health Council are Patrick Eagan, a lawyer with Talstra and Company, and Sarah de Leeuw, a co- ordinator of the Terrace Women’s Resource Centre, «the fight ia bil soles 1 AI HALES THERA _ Eagan is from the Maritimes and arrived in Terrace last year. He holds an NDP card but says that won't get in his way of doing his jab. De Leeuw went to high school here, returning after obtaining a degree from the University of Victoria, working down south and travelling overseas. She says she used tc belong to the NDP but docsn’t anymore. Her political preferences lean toward the Green party ar) suggestions bi Advert . _MANAGEAIMTGR UP CANADA SKC: aU SAFEWAY > FOOD & DRUG hospital help creases causing it to close beds and cutjobs. Yet the health ministry bas consistently said the hospital can’t run a deficit and has given it until next year to balance its books. A key factor prompting Giesbrecht to ask Priddy for help was the closure this month of the operating rooms for four days lo clective surgery and a two-week closure of the CT scan machine to save money. “That came totally out of the blue and perhaps it could have been. done differently,” Giesbrecht continued. ‘In the case of an emergency all stops go out, lhere’s no ques- tion. But for everything else, for non-emergency services, administration and management has to schedule to some - extent to keep the flow going.” The MLA said issues such as the kinds of patients being treated al the hospital and from where they live must be “addressed, Helmut Giesbrecht Safeway Meats. New York Strip Loin Steaks The City of Terrace sis seeking volunteers of all ages to serve on its Sentors Advisary Commissian, The Commission acts as an advocate for the Interests of seniors in the community and provides recommendations to Mayor and Council. It also guides initiatives and projects designed to improve the quality of life for seniors in Terrace. The Committee meets ten times per year. Membership Is reviewed on an annual basis. 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