TERRACE — A local surgeon’s
statements that the Prince Rupert
hospital will be unsafe are unfair
and wrong, says health minister
Elizabeth Cull.

written by Dr. Donald Strangway
about the: departure this month of
Prince Rupert’s only surgeon.

Such a gap in medical care -
could affect: the lives: of those
with an emergency, ‘said Strang-
way.

He said the problem lies in the
Prince Rupert hospital not getting
enough money..from the provin- .

cal services.

That translates into fewer beds
and the inability of a surgeon to
have the support needed to prac-
tice, Strangway added.

But the. Prince Rupest hospital
actually receives more money for
medical and. ‘surgical services:
than facilities of similar size, said
Cull.

“It’s quite clear the hospital (in
Prince Rupert) is in -no. way un-
safe, I’m always concerned when
people make these “kinds. of al-
legations,”’ added Cull.”

She did note that the Prince
Rupert hospital has a patient stay
rate in excess of provincial aver-
ages and that its occupancy rale
of 65 per: cent indicates there is
room to save in terms of available ©
beds, |

Cull acknowledged that hospi-
tals face. budget cuts, and must do
more with limited money. .

She did: concede one point
raised by Strangway — the dif-
ficulty solo surgeons face when
expected to cover.a single area,

“T-d6 realize there are big ait-
ficultiés“-with-- this .in . smaller.

Socred
hopeful
visits.

“TERRACE -— The campaign
frail of Social Credit leadership

him to the northwest recently. °
Bruce: is the only leadership
‘candidate so. far, but expects
‘others to.join: the race before the
November convention. .
. Dubbed): “three - guys in a
‘Bronco,’ *Bruce and ‘ two ‘aides
thave /covered..more than 10,000.
“kilometers -in-a-1988 silver Ford
‘truck since they hit the trail in
‘mid-May. :
2? Atethe forefront of. Bruce’s
‘campaign theme is a basic plan to
4 greats ihe power of government,
“y “The general public has no say

: pu
fare. over-taxed,, or “victims of
“spending culs = : they ‘should also

tries, deficit financing.” :

Bruce: swas. the MLA for
: “Cowichat- Malahat on Vancouver
Island: between: 1986 and 1991. -

“MLAS to early on disagree with
eal s Vander Zalm...

ity of its‘own and
“has spent well beyond what it can
‘afford. =

rowing like we have in the past.”

“sawmill - there; the town diver-
sified into‘tourism. °

* Many. of the.500 jobs lost at the
“mill ‘were indirectly regained
‘through: ‘the tourist industry. The

Cull was responding to a letter .

cial government to. provide surgi-

areas, It:can lead: clearly to un-: -

‘candidate. Graham* Bruce took .

i. Ain ie mater wien a 8 government a
have. control ‘when a government

> “He was in’ a group of Socred .

“Tes crunch time in a big way .
“— we can’t go ‘spending. and tor |

AS a mayor ‘in. 1979, Bruce.
-played a major role:it ‘thie revival ©
cof the town of Chemainug.When ~
‘MacMillan Bloedel ° "closed “its

town painted:its walls with histor.
‘ical murals and became a major -..:
attraction on. the central b-

tenable situations,’ said Cull.

‘In places where. there isn’t
enough work to support two
specialists under fee for service,
we aré prepared to look at
alternate methods -— perhaps. a

‘salary arrangement with the hos-

pital,”’ she continued.
- “The long term option is to find

“a way for two surgeons to work

so thal they can spell each other
off,”’ Cull said. ©

The minister added that she is

Page A12 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, September 8, 1993

Cull takes an exception
to surgeon’s commenis

confident the Prince Rupert hos-

pital is working hard.at findinga &

teplaceme nt this month.
Ak tek
Strangway retired from his Ter-
race practice the end of August.
He's off to Vancouver and then
to Bella Bella for a year’s work
with the United Church’s hospital

‘missions program.

Strangway’s lerm as chief of
medical staff at Mills Memorial
Hospital ended Sept. 1.

Elizabeth Cull

Dr, R.E.M. Lee Hospital

Foundation
4720 Haugland Ave.,
Terrace, B.C. V8G 2W7

BA thoughttul way to remember Is with an In Memoriam giftto §
M the Or, A.E.M. Lee Hospital Foundation, Donations are
@ gratefully accepted at the above address, the Terrace Fire
J Oept. on Eby Steet or please contact Helene McRae at §
® 635-5320. Income tax receipts are avallable.

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