Cecil Villard, Director of Community Hospitals and Continuing Care, today announced that a West Prince Hospital Consultation Committee has been organized. The committee will plan and implement a consultative process to determine whether a single acute care hospital, located between the existing hospitals, is a preferred option for the area.
In the Fall session of the legislature, Government made a commitment to begin a dialogue with communities and stakeholders in West Prince on a single hospital facility. A Project Committee has been struck to direct a consultation process through which citizens, communities, stakeholders, and partners will be invited to share their views and perspectives on this topic.
The Project Committee consists of twelve members: ten voting members representing the community and two non-voting members representing the Department of Health. The Chair of the Committee is Ernest Hudson who was the Chair of the former West Prince Health Board.
Committee members include three former members of the West Prince Health Board including Barry Clohossey, Maxine Ellis, and Eva Rennie. There is also Thelma Sweet, Vice Chair of the O’Leary Community Hospital Board, as well as Colleen Handrahan who is Vice Chair of the Western Hospital Board.
Other committee members include Dr. Herb Dickieson, Dr. Baldev Sethi, Dorothy Ellsworth, and Cheryl Doran. Non-voting members representing the Department of Health include Cecil Villard, Director of Community Hospitals and Continuing Care and Garth Waite, Manager of Corporate Relations and Evaluation.
The Project Committee is now planning the consultation process. During the consultations there will be special presentations on the state of healthcare and present challenges in the area. The committee will be seeking the input from all stakeholders including the public, municipal leaders, staff and physicians. Stakeholders will be invited to provide their views and perspectives on a single acute care hospital, located between the existing hospitals in West Prince.
Ernest Hudson, Chair of the Planning Committee said, “The schedule for the consultations will be publicized as soon as dates and locations are finalized. All citizens will have the opportunity to present their views. As much as possible we want the process to take place during the month of April to ensure broad consultation happens prior to the prime farming and fishing season.”
Cecil Villard, Director of Community Hospitals and Continuing Care added, “There are no broad plans already developed for hospital services in West Prince. This process is about public consultation before directions are set.”