Big surprise, sign of things to come?
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Sad to say, the microbiology lab seems like it’s on an irreversible course to Terrace or any of the other “hubs”.
The Northern Health Authority has successfully dodged any sort of public consultation over the closing of sample processing locally and have been applying so much spin over the move that it’ll be sometime after the Olympics before anyone will be able to make a straight line.
The public and city council, along with other political leaders in the region, put forward some good questions to NHA representatives last week and it was interesting to listen to some of the answers.
Such as the contention that this move is not a sudden move and has actually been in the works for awhile.
As the lady behind me succinctly put it, not as far as the public was concerned.
I can see what they’re saying though: this issue boiled to the surface in 2004 and as such the public should have been aware that this was a consideration.
And digging into the archives, it seemed no one from NHA specifically credited the massive public outcry as the reason processing remained in town, so it was still always on their list.
But as the bullet was dodged for the health authority to actually consult with the public over this, a meeting is forthcoming for Smithers to lob cannonballs.
Primary health care will be up for discussion. Dr. David Butcher mentioned the meeting while addressing town council.
It may not be regarding microbiology but it would be in the public interest to pay close attention to what they say.
When asked for assurances that no more services will be lost, Butcher chose his words carefully saying that no “intention” to deplete services was there but did offer that the authority is constantly looking at the services they provide.
Gulp?
When he mentioned the primary health care meeting he said that what comes out of it could be more changes but, however, it won’t be a change to reduce services.
Then again, moving microbiology processing to Terrace is not a reduction of services but, as they say, a way to provide services differently.
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