CORRESPONDENCE FOR THE TERRACE STANDARD The Mail Bag Docs not only ones wantin Dear Sir: 1 have received a num- ber of form letters from constituents and some have been addressed spe- cifically to: me. One of “them, by Karlene Clark, in an open letter to me, ap- peared in your Letters col- umn in the Sept. 20 issue under the title “Stop the grandstanding.” I ‘trust. this response, which seems to be reques- ted like -many of the others, will not be viewed as grandstanding. - Terrace~ doctors were offered..a package that ‘ contained..an- average of $43,500 per doctor for on- call, ‘retention: incentives and recruitment. This was part of the $40 million in new money ap- proved in the Legislature Sept.. 17.. The total in- crease in the spending ap- proved that day was $290 million for healthcare. The.-doctors will also gel to be beneficiaries of the negotiations for higher fees which the B.C.M_ Medical Association (BCMA) and the province will undergo in the near future, “We alsa need to re- member that other health- care workers (i.e. nurses, hospital employees, ambu- lance drivers) will all be demanding more, hospitals need’ more: for. operating and equipment, and the amount -of money avail- able. is limited. Giving one group more means there is: less for other needs and this is all taxpayers money, “With. respect to the issue .concerning Prince George, they faced a criti- cal shortage of general practitioners As many as 10,000 people did not have a family . doctor, account- ing for 17 per cent of cases showing: up at hospital emergency. Prince George also - faced a high turnover of its specialists. Half of all radiologists, anaesthetists, and general surgeons left in the past five years. Eighteen of the fifty-five positions in core areas were vacant. The BCMA, which re- presents all doctors in BC, agreed that Prince George was a unique situation and required a unique solution. The BCMA also agreed nol to demand the same for every other doctor, an agreement that obviously was. not supported by the other rural doctors when they heard about the set- tlement. “1 think that Terrace is a community with. much more ‘to offer than Prince George. * Professionals looking to locale in -a- community consider much more than a few extra dollars. -The- abi- lity to have a good income ‘(which depends: upon pa- tient: load), .community -amenities and quality of life are just as important. . The offer -to Terrace doctors is a fair offer and Tepresents. an increase ‘greater than. many people make: in a year and the “Walter Graqrky $leoke Survivor a I . Tim alive today because sumcone knew the signs of a stroke. Do you? Call 1-888-HSF-NFO (1-888-473-4636) Vislt www.heartandstroke.ca Ip Whaat AND STOKE FOUNDALOM Helmut Glesbrecht doctors will also be de- manding fee increases when negotiations with the BCMA begin. While governments pre- fer “cookie cutter” solu- tions that apply to all, such solutions do not al- ways address unique regio- nai problems in ensuring equitable health care’ ac- cess. One unrelated but good example in recent history wauld be the government's restructuring package for Skeena Cellulose. Putting more money into hospital funding and more nurses is just a8 good a place to put more healthcare dollars. That helps doctors in their work as: well. ‘Helmut Giesbrecht, MLA for Skeena g more bucks ~g@QU GINO CUT eae - AUTO APPEARANCE CENTRE The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, Seplember 27, 2000 - A9 P Dr, PA. 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