Keep status quo at Mission Memorial ER
The Mission emergency could close evenings.
Email
Print
Letter to Editor
Share
Updated: October 27, 2009 1:09 PM
Mission council sees the status quo as the only option when talking about the emergency ward.
A Fraser Health Authority (FHA) discussion paper on Monday's council agenda highlighted three possible options for Mission Memorial Hospital's (MMH) emergency department, including keeping it open 15 hours a day (not overnight), keep services and staffing as they are, or morph the local facility into an urgent care centre.
Municipal politicians passed a resolution Monday evening stating they only support the status quo option, and oppose any further closures or program reductions at MMH. The resolution further asked for "meaningful" discussions with Fraser Health, consultations with MLAs, and that "a position paper which will include input from staff, council, professionals and the community" be written.
FHA CEO Dr. Nigel Murray attended the meeting, emphasizing that no decision has been reached, and that a firm decision date is unknown.
"We are here looking for commentary and queries. Mission [Memorial Hospital] plays a critical role," said Murray. "We need to figure out ... Mission's role in the region."
A hastily called rally was held late Monday afternoon in front of the hospital to denounce the potential downgrading of the ER, with the NDP's health critic Adrian Dix on-hand calling on government to lay off MMH.
"This is irrational," he said. "This is a consistent attack [on Mission] and it doesn't make sense."
Dix blasted the B.C. Liberals, noting MMH has suffered five "major downgrades" since the party came to power in 2001, including the loss of the maternity ward, and operating rooms.
The politician has become a familiar face in Mission during the recent months of uncertainty around MMH's ER, and he said "people have got to fight" to keep services in town.
The new upswing in attention to the hospital came after last week's Record story noting the emergency ward needed to close nights, or other cuts had to happen to trim $390,000, which is what Mission must pay to help curb the $160-million FHA budget shortfall.
