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CT scanner makes long-awaited WLMH debut By Mike Williscraft NewsNow The unveiling of a new CT scan unit at West Lincoln Memorial Hospital was the fruitful end to a long journey that began many years ago. The unit cost $1.3 million, but that was actually one of the easier pieces of the puzzle to negotiate along that journey as it was not simply a matter of raising the money to obtain such an integral item on a health care wish list. During a virtual presentation on Thursday to formally showcase the new CT scan equipment and facility – which took more than a year to physically renovate – Hamilton Health Sciences interim vice-president of community medicine Leslie Gillies noted the process started
immediately after WLMH and HHS amalgamated in 2014. First, a statistical case had to be made to show the Ministry of Health a CT scan unit was warranted for WLMH. “Grimsby alone would represent 3,000 uses per year,” said Gillies, adding the ongoing population explosion would magnify that number. The benefits, Gillies added, to having such a device in Niagara West are many and major, including: • timely access “closer to home”; • minimizing impact on staff - ER nurses won’t have to attend with a patient being transferred for a CT scan elsewhere, and; • the new unit will transfer to new build once appropriate. To achieve a goal such as obtain-
Uprooted
ing a CT scan unit for a small, rural hospital, WLMH Foundation chair Kevin Antonides said there are a lot of moving parts, but, none of them would be set in motion without one key ingredient. “The CT scan is possible only because of donors who gave of time and treasure,” said Antonides. The varied efforts to see this feature added to WLMH was not lost on Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff. “This is great news for the hospital and surrounding community. It is crucial that residents across Niagara West are able to access world-class healthcare right here in our communities, and this CT scan helps make that a reality,” said Oosterhoff. “It’s an amazing effort by so many
St. John Catholic School teacher Melissa Binfield had to salvage what she could of the school’s community garden after it was vandalized last week. See Page 4 for more details. Marks - Photo
people who worked to get it to this point. Especially with our new build on the horizon, having key modern equipment like this is fantastic.” During the presentation, Dr. Joan Bellaire, WLMH medical director, noted the availability of the CT scanner will also be a major draw of patients into the community. With patients coming to WLMH from around Niagara Region before the unit was online, it will now expand urgent care capabilities significantly. The years-long effort by many is something for which Bellaire noted an appreciation. “Look how far we’ve come; how hard we fought. None of it would be possible without community support,” See CT SCAN, Page 3
Departmental teamwork checks problem vehicles A full court press on vehicle compliance from various Niagara departments resulted in several charges and suspensions on June 17. Officers from Niagara Regional Police’s 8 District Grimsby office and Traffic Enforcement Unit partnered with four law enforcement agencies to take part in Project Avoidance. The project was conducted on the roadways in the Town of Lincoln and included the Queen Elizabeth Highway. Project Avoidance was developed for officers from the NRP, Ministry of Transportation Ontario (MTO), Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Halton Police
Service and the Niagara Parks Police to conduct safety and compliance checks on commercial vehicles and trucks. In total officers stopped 103 vehicles, 45 of which were inspected. Two drivers were placed out of service and one truck was placed out of service. Officers issued in excess of 16 provincial offences notices including: • No daily logs • No annual safety inspection • Brakes out of adjustment • No trailer brakes • No safety device on trailer • Tire/wheel issues • Insecure load • Flat tire, and more.