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HHS reboots to start WLMH “planning process” By Mike Williscraft NewsNow What started as an announcement of an ultimate direction with no timeline for implementation regarding West Lincoln Memorial Hospital’s operating rooms, is now being called a “planning process”. Hamilton Health Sciences officials met with WLMH staff over a series of meetings on Monday, Oct. 21 and outlined the findings from a five-page executive summary of a study commissioned to give one solution to issues with the aging facility’s ORs. The focal point of the study is the recommendation to close the ORs fully for an estimated 27-month period and spend $8.6 million to bring the rooms up to current standards. While area residents and local officials were outraged at the notion, all WLMH medical officials condemned the action, including Dr. Gary Benson, a long-time fixture who served as its medical director until his resignation over the issue. Key to their concerns was the lack of input and communication in general prior to the
Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff tabled petitions with more than 18,000 signatures in the Legislature last Wednesday, Oct. 31. The signatures, gathered in a week’s time, call on the government to take action with Hamilton Health Sciences to ensure the survival of all services at WLMH. got a recommendaclosure being com- agara West MPP Sam ent story.” Oosterhoff said TuesWhen asked why a tion. I am sure if we’d municated. “Could we have done day that HHS could re- report would be rolled asked for five differbetter? I guess we deem itself if they hold out with only one pos- ent options about how could have. Did people true to what they are sible direction cited, we might proceed that leave that meeting as- now saying. HHS president and would have been what suming that there was “If they are genu- CEO Rob MacIsaac the architect gave us. something imminent ine and stand by their said that was because We asked him to give happening? Yes, they word about working it was all they asked of us his recommended did. Was that the in- toward solving the their consultant. way forward,” said Matent of our message? problems with the ORs “We didn’t ask the cIsaac. No,” said Aaron Levo, without transferring consultant to come “We asked a very HHS’s vice-president services it would be a back with a range of straight forward and communication and start,” said Oosterhoff. options. We asked the appropriate question public affairs. “If they are predeter- architect to come back of the architect. What While backing into mining the results and with the architect’s needs to occur and the process has not how the conversation recommendations, so how long will it take curried any favour, Ni- goes...that is a differ- that’s what we got. We to get this facility up
to contemporary standards. I think it is quite an appropriate question to ask when you’re presented with a facility that is 30 years past where, you know...We got our answer to that question.” For Oosterhoff and the current government, that answer is not in the best interests of the community. “The Minister of Health (Christine Elliott) has told HHS to find a solution that keeps all services at West Lincoln Memorial,” said Oosterhoff, adding that Donna Cripps, CEO of the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant Local Health Integration Network also has “grave concerns” about shifting any services away from WLMH. Neither MacIsaac or Levo would commit to that, but they both did say they are hopeful the process now underway will help all understand what needs to be done and why. “We are engaging with the medical leadership at West Lincoln to deal with the issues that have been raised. We had a very productive, cordial meeting with them last week and committed to working with them to look at possible ways See WLMH, Page 3