AG - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, May 5, 1 999 CORRESPONDENCE FOR THE TERRACE STANDARD The Mail Bag Doc says hospital budget CE ert - cuts will hurt children sd pe en Dear Sir: Ms. Tarwick, Chair of the Terrace and Area Community Health Council, bas apparently assured you that the pro- posed cuts to balance the budget for Mills Memorial Hos- pital, sent down to the ministry, are not associated with any service cuts (Page A9, April 21, 1999). a This is inaccurate, The budget submilted has cut care to our most valuable and vulnerable population...the infants and children, The budget states that any child requiring continuous one on one nursing will only be cared for in Terrace until a transfer to Vancouver can be arranged. For example, a child with asthma on ventolin every half hour, a child who needs close observation following a sei- zure of a head injury, a baby with pneumonia, or a sick child with diabetes, wil! now all be sent to Vancouver on the first available transfer. This is despite the fact that we have both the physician expertise (pediatrician) and nurs- ing experience to manage these types of problems here. | We have to this point cared for these children in Terrace, children from all over the region....but, no more. Now families will have to be split up, children will be cared for in a big cily, far from home, and you, the family, will have to find the money to get back home, once your child is ready for discharge. a The second service cut affects our newborn babies, Tra- ditionally, since we have a pediatric service here, we have accepted premature and other sick babies back from Van- conver once they no longer need the intensive care unit, but are not ready to go home. This is often quile a long pe- riod of time as these tiny babies have to grow and devel- op. . The proposed budget put a stop on accepting any of these infants back to Terrace for their step down care, and in fact, the hospital has already put this policy in place. The nursery will be closed ‘‘except for emergency deliveries or C-sections.’” After much dismay from the physicians in this com- munity about how this negatively affects patient care, and how it threatens the likelihood of a pediatric service remaining here, the proposal was changed such that babies with a Terrace address apparently now will be accepted back. Any other address .... you are out of luck and stuck in Vancouver ... at your expense. Cutting the pediatric service to balance the budget does affect patient care. It is true we are not funded regionally to look after any of our patients, pediatric or adult, but we have the ability to do so and have traditionally provided this service ( for pediatrics it is over 20 years), because there is nowhere else in the region. Cutting the pediatric service to the level proposed will jeopardize the continuing existence of any pediatric and obstetrical service in Terrace. ; . Nursing expertise will.dectine with lack.of experience ~ HURRY... 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No pediatricians and no We have a rose for each Mother on her special day! “The budget submitted has cut care to ‘el our most valuable and vuinerable popula- 4332 Lakelse Ave., Terrace, tion.” por BI&*e alk Open 7 Days a Week Seafood From 4pm-10pm experienced nurses will mean that pregnant women with complications that may affect their baby would need to deliver elsewhere. The annual meeting of the Terrace and Area Health Council was April 21. The turnout from the public and es- pecially the media, was disappointing. That was your chance to hear what is happening to health care in your region, “No pediatricians and no experienced. nurses will mean that pregnant women with complications that may affect their baby would need to deliver elsewhere.” There were a number of physicians and other health professionals who challenged the budget cuts and tried to take a take a stand for you, the patient. Despite our challenges, the budget was submitted, with the above cuts, which will hurt you and especially your children. So now you are informed. Ms. Tarwick is wrong. From my perspective, as a provider of health care to children and as a parent, the budget cuts do affect services. Take a sland and voice that you care...to your health council, to your MLA, and to the Minister of Health. And do it soon or it may be too late. Dr. Jane Pegg, Pediatrician, Terrace, B.C, (received via email) We don't know what causes multiple sclerosis, but research is closer ta finding the answer. Multiple Sclerosis Soclety of Canada 1-800-268-7582 4741 Lakelse Avenue Terrace, B.C. (250) 635-4948. 2 “LANCER” RECLINA-REST® CHAISE RECLINER Casual styling at special spring savings that make genuine La-Z-Boy* comfort easier than ever to afford. ; Right now, when you buy a new Polaris ATV, we'll give you a 2000 |b. 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