|
Doctor
and Nurse Shortage
|
by Neil Zacharjewicz
MINDEMOYA - The Island hospitals are in
need of more doctors and nurses. At the September 27 meeting
of the Manitoulin Health Centre (MHC) Board of Directors, hospital
administration explained the hospital is in need of 12 part-time
nurses, and may be losing the equivalent of three full-time
doctors on Manitoulin. Chief of Staff Dr. Kenneth Barss explained
the Island has already lost Dr. Heather Rogan, who left at the
end of September. As well, he said it appears Dr. Bill Pegg
will be leaving, and two of the doctors in Mindemoya will be
combining their practices, in effect resulting in the loss of
another doctor. "Hopefully, we will be able to find some other
physicians," he explained. According to Acting Executive Director
Kim Roy the loss of three physicians on the Island will place
Manitoulin in the under-serviced area designation once again.
"I am not sure to what extent it will affect the community,"
she added. Dr. Barss said he believes the loss of doctors will
have a large impact on the area. He indicated while he was uncertain
whether the under-serviced area designation would automatically
apply to the area, it certainly would qualify for that stauts.
He suggested while the province had considered the Island adequately
serviced before the potential loss of three doctors, there were
still long lists to see the doctors at the clinic. These lists
will only increase as the Island loses doctors, and waits in
the emergency room will only get longer. Dr. Barss said he has
not heard anything official about the two doctors combining
their practices as of this time. He further noted Dr. Pegg has
withdrawn his official resignation, but added he understands
he is still considering the matter. He said he does not know
what Dr. Pegg's long-term plans will be. "We have been very
fortunate recently in that we have been able to attract doctors.
Now there is a threat of doctors leaving at a time when it is
difficult to recruit people," he said. He noted recruitment
efforts to replace Dr. Rogan in Mindemoya have already begun.
Meanwhile, Deborah Bennet, Director of Patient Care, explained
that the MHC finds itself in much the same position it was in
last spring: it needs 12 part-time nurses. Studies of the nursing
crisis have revealed it is an international problem, not just
a cyclical change, she said. The most important concerns, these
studies revealed, is job satisfaction and the quality of work
life, she indicated. The happiness of nurses reflects on how
the patients feel about their stay in hospitals, she said. Ms.
Bennet noted the MHC has made efforts to improve the quality
of work life for its nurses, and they are beginning to feel
like they have input. She added there are good things proposed
in the Ontario Nursing Association (ONA) contract, which will
be going before an arbitrator, which will help to maintain nurses.
Some of these things are expensive, but they are good for smaller
communities.
|
|
Glen
Hare named chief for fifth term
|
by Neil Zacharjewicz
M'CHIGEENG - Prior to last weekend, only
one M'Chigeeng chief had been elected for five consecutive terms:
James Debassige. "I hope he is up there watching over us," said
Glen Hare, who became the second chief in M'Chigeeng history
to earn the distinction of five consecutive terms this weekend.
Chief Hare explained when he first ran for the position of chief
approximately eight years ago, he consulted with Mr. Debassige
about his campaign. He said he can remember Mr. Debassige telling
him perhaps he would reach five terms as well. Chief Hare said
he laughed at the suggestion at the time. Yet, when the final
tally was counted and Chief Hare was announced the winner for
his fifth consecutive term, the first person to spring to his
mind was James Debassige. "I was nervous right down to the end,"
Chief Hare stated. He said while people had told him he would
win, it is a far different feeling when you are the candidate.
Now that he has won, it is very different feeling. "I did it...
five consecutive terms," he said. "It is a very good feeling.
I have come a long ways. I did not think my politics would take
me into this fifth term. I hope the community is happy." Chief
Hare garnered a total of 196 votes to beat out his competitor,
Dan Simon, who received a total of 157 votes. "I want to thank
the community, and I want to thank the neighbouring communities
for the support I have received," Chief Hare stated. He added
it was particularly nice to see the looks on the faces of the
people who came from off-reserve to vote when they found their
names on the voter's list. He noted he had family who returned
home to vote. "This is our first election with off-reserve voters,"
he said. "I hope it catches on for the next election." Ray Corbiere
was elected to the position of deputy chief, with a total of
216 votes. Earl Debassige and Dan Simon were also re-elected
to council, each with 210 votes. Elaine Migwans was re-elected
with 201 votes, while Roger Beaudin was re-elected with 197
votes. Adam Debassige is a new face on council, and he was elected
with 196 votes. Terry Debassige will reassume his position as
councillor with 195 votes. Donna Debassige is the second new
face on council, having earned herself 185 votes. Encumbent
candidate Joe Hare and new candidate Daughness Migwans claimed
the final two seats, each with 176 votes. Chief Hare said he
is looking forward to working with the new council. He added
it is nice to have three women on board, because the community
needs to have a woman's voice. "The commitment is there from
everyone on council," he suggested. Now, he said, council will
turn its focus to the two major projects it has underway: the
water treatment plant and the Lakeview School expansion. "I
want to see these projects through to the end," Chief Hare stated.
|
|
New
hotline enlists public help in the fight against drunk driving
|
by Michael Erskine
LITTLE CURRENT---The Manitoulin Injury Prevention
Coalition unveiled a new weapon in the war against drinking
and driving last week with the official start of 'Operation
Lookout'. Operation Lookout enlists the public's aid in the
battle against drunk drivers, enabling the Ontario Provincial
Police (OPP) to extend its eyes to every citizen with a cell
phone. "This program will allow the public to assist us in keeping
drunk drivers off the road," said OPP Communications Officer
Al Boyd. "Not only by allowing us to respond quickly to drunk
or aggressive drivers, but in making people think, realize,
that their actions are not acceptable." The program allows drivers,
indeed anyone with a cell phone, to quickly access a taskforce
designed to quickly respond to reports of drunk, erratic or
agressive drivers simply by pressing *OPP(*677) on their cell
phones. Canada's two main cell phone companies, Bell Mobility
and CanTel have set up a free link to the OPP dispatch and an
officer can be accurately and swiftly dispatched to respond
to the call. The public's report of speed, direction, location,
description of the driver and vehicle, including license plate
number, make, model and colour are recorded by the OPP dispatch
and transmitted to the investigating officer. Although the more
complete the information the better, not all is required when
calling in. Operation Lookout was first developed by Canadians
for Safe and Sober Driving- Against Drunk Driving in November
of 1992, in co-operation with Peel Regional Police Services,
with the corporate sponsorship of Goodyear Canada and St. Lawrence
Cement. The program was field-tested in Peel Region in 1993
and 1994 and has since spread to communities across the country.
Reports received by the Peel Regional Police rose by over 43%
in the first year of the program, and a further 75 per cent
by the second year of the program. In the first year of the
program the number of alchol related deaths resulting from traffic
crashes were down from 24 per cent to 17 per cent. The institution
of Operation Lookout was partly in response to Addiction Research
Foundation (ARF) statistics that show the Manitoulin District
number one in the province for alcohol related crashes and drinking
and driving offenses. Statistics covering 1990 to 1994, show
Manitoulin with 39.03 drivers per 10,000 population involved
in alcohol related traffic crashes,our nearest competitor is
Muskoka with 25.65 and the provincial average is 13.23. In drinking
and driving offenses we stand at 112.7 offenses per 10,000 population,
Kenora comes in a distant second with 67.06. Five-year ranking
of ARF statistics from 1988 to 1992 show Manitoulin as number
one in alchol related deaths and drinking and driving violations
as well. The philosophy behind the program is that if drunk
drivers believe that the public is likely to report them to
the authorities, they are less likely to drive. Many impaired
drivers have been driving themselves home for years, without
getting caught or otherwise suffering any consequences for their
actions. They are likely to continue to do so, until they are
arrested or invloved in an accident. Operation Lookout is meant
to create a change in attitude amongst the community, making
the general public realize that they or their children may become
these criminals next victim, and making it possible for the
average citizen to help defend themselves and their loved ones
from this menace. The community partnership working together
on this project include many of the agencies which have to deal
with the results of drinking and driving, including: the Sudbury
and District Health Unit, Ministry of Transportation, OPP, Manitoulin
Driving School, Manitoulin Family Resources Inc., Manitoulin
Childcare/Resource Centre, Victims Crisis Assistance Referral
Service, Rainbow North EMS, Assiginack Public School, Ontario
Secondary Students Against Impaired Drivers, Manitoulin Health
Centre, Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands (NEMI) Fire
Department, Mnaamodzawin Health Services and the Providence
Bay Seniors Group. Local sponsorship for Operation Lookout has
been provided by Manitoulin Transport, SDHU, Safe and Sober
Drivers of Canada, as well as the aforementioned Bell Mobility
and CanTel phone networks. Ambulance service operator Bill Cranston
of Rainbow North EMS, a partner in the project, said, "We are
always finding ourselves responding to the results of impaired
driving, we now have the opportunity to be more pro-active.
If we can prevent these tragedies from happening, decrease the
morbidity and mortality, place limits on agressive behaviour,
it is worth every bit of effort we have put into it." Mr. Cranston
praised Coalition Chair SDHU Health, Nurse Linda Belton for
her tireless efforts in promoting and pushing the project forward.
NEMI Fire Chief Rick Milne put the effort in perspective saying,
"We live in a very small community. The potential for our members
to have to deal with friends and families when we respond to
a call is very real to us, on every call we go out on. I have
girls at home, and I want them and their friends to adopt a
sober driving attitude." "The goals of Operation Lookout go
hand in hand with the OPP commitment to community policing,"
said Manitoulin OPP Detachment Commander J.J. McCabe. "If it
helps the police, it helps us," said VCARS Director Leanne Lockeyer.
Ms. Belton said that the second phase of the project will be
to seek out corporate sponsors for billboards announcing the
project at both ends of the Island. "This is an area that has
a high number of vacationers arriving every year and that probably
has a significant impact on the number of impaired driving offenses
that we see," said Constable Boyd, "and the level of impairedness
is really quite frightening. It is an offense to drive with
a blood alcohol level of .08, the average impaired driver we
stop is well up over .2, it really is very dangerous."
|
|