Meeting to address hospital crisis

UXBRIDGE -- A "responsible community meeting" regarding the future of Uxbridge's hospital is planned for early June.

Uxbridge doctors earlier this year said the Cottage Hospital's emergency room faces a crisis situation this summer due to low staffing levels. Mayor Bob Shepherd has sent a letter to executives of the Markham Stouffville Hospital Corporation, the hospital foundation, Dr. Michael Damus (chief of staff at the hospital) and local press, stating, "The Township must provide the leadership and initiative to not only find a short-term solution but to also develop a longer-term vision and plan for the future of our hospital... the preservation of our emergency department (is) critical to the well-being of our hospital."

It was with this idea in mind that Mayor Shepherd spearheaded the June 3 meeting "so the community can be accurately informed" he said.

The June 3 meeting, to be held from 7:30 to 9 p.m. in the arena community centre at 291 Brock St. W., will feature a number of hospital figures who will "lay out the situation (about the hospital)," the mayor said, adding the public will have an opportunity to ask questions following the speeches.

Mayor Shepherd said in his letter "we must also start to immediately engage all our (hospital) stakeholders" to formulate a plan and has appointed Regional Councillor Howie Herrema to follow that project through.

Uxbridge doctors have stated providing financial incentives at a municipal level will draw more physicians to town. While Mayor Shepherd is "fundamentally opposed" to putting up taxpayer cash for new doctors, Coun. Herrema said he "wouldn't rule it out to maintain the hospital." But Coun. Herrema added, "It's certainly not your first choice... I don't like (that idea) at all."

The ER faced a similar situation last year, and a subsequent public meeting on the matter initiated by a Cottage Hospital nurse and sponsored by the Ontario Health Coalition drew more than 500 concerned individuals. A petition introduced at that meeting to gain support for small and rural emergency rooms garnered 18,387 signatures and was delivered to Queen's Park late last year.

The regional councillor said his main goal is to create "a unified position" among all parties associated with the hospital. "We've got to stop going from crisis to crisis," he said.

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