A Prince Albert Parkland Health Region community advisory network annual meeting for the Hafford/Blaine Lake area was held Feb. 7 in Hafford with over 150 concerned residents in attendance.
Representatives from local municipal and government levels as well as Cecile Hunt, CEO of PAPHR; Lynnda Berg, vice-president of Primary Care for PAPHR; and John Piggott, vice-president of Operations for PAPHR were also in attendance to address questions and concerns.
The Hafford/Blaine Lake Community Advisory Network board consists of Stan Novicki (chair), Steve Puto, Keith Woytiuk, Walter Jess, Sylvia Ruedger, Donna Thompson, Ted Nicholson, Steve Grzybowski, John Serihenko, Kim Kenke, Audrey Johnson, John Ogenchuk, Alan Tanchak, Eugene Sass, Delbert Miller, and Andy Hawrysh.
A committee of the former Hafford Health District was established in 2004 to address concerns and issues within the immediate Hafford area. A Hafford Primary Care initiative was presented to the PAPHR board directors and staff on Aug. 31, 2005 with a few proposals including an increase in physician and nurse practitioner services, increasing availability of day respite and long-term palliative care by re-establishing four existing Level 3 and 4 care beds, and to address the issue of access to 24/7 emergency care. In 2006, this committee was enlarged to include staff from the health region to create the Hafford and Blaine Lake Area Community Advisory Board.
"During the past seven years we have continually struggled with several issues as we tried to maintain the necessary services required in our clinic and throughout the communities involved," explained Novicki. "We have made a number of presentations to PAPHR Board at board meetings in Spiritwood, Canwood, Candle Lake, Prince Albert, Shellbrook and Hafford.
"The board's responses were always negative, continuing to deny our requests to re-establish the Level 3 and 4 beds. This is despite the fact that the health district management has consistently been placing patients in hospital beds in Prince Albert or Shellbrook, instead of Level 3 and 4 nursing home beds-which the Board admits are in short supply."
Novicki provided factual information on the operating cost of a hospital bed. At an Advisory Network meeting Oct. 5, 2009, the committee was provided with information on the operating cost of a hospital bed as $931 per day, while a Level 3 and 4 nursing home bed would cost $180 per day (non inclusive of the government subsidy, which was not made available to the committee). Novicki continues to indicate that with a difference of $751 per day per bed or $3,004 if all four beds are utilized, a savings of over a million dollars would be made to the health district.
"That means that over the last seven years, the PAPHR might well have saved substantially over $7 million, according to the figures the region provided to us," explained Novicki. "You can well understand why the community members of the network are frustrated."
Novicki continued to present the issue of Hafford having its x-ray machine removed from the facility forcing patients to travel to North Battleford, Saskatoon or Shellbrook for x-rays. He concluded with some encouraging observations of having first responders within the community and area, as well as having an addition of Nurse Practitioner Audrey Johnson to assist Kim Kenke with clinics.
Three major presentations were made following Novicki's address (see Primary Health Care update article).
The floor was open for a question period to address the concerns of the general public.
An ongoing concern is the most recent removal of the x-ray unit from the Hafford facility. CEO Cecile Hunt indicated the unit was removed due to patient safety and concern about levels of radiation. She emphasized is was not about staffing but rather the aging equipment which was dated to 1976. Despite being questioned on the x-ray machine's safety and convenience numerous times throughout the question period, Hunt made no indication of either pursing or committing to reinstating the equipment. She indicated Hafford is a low volume site and emphasized the decision was made by PAPHR to ensure 'general efficiencies' and overall 'best practice' of the operating costs for the region.
A two-part question asked why Hafford Special Care Centre will not experience structural growth to assist with accommodating the waiting lists in the region for those individuals meeting criteria for nursing home admittance and why the four beds available in Hafford SCC can't be made available. Hunt emphasized the staffing issue indicating more staff would be required to reduce the number of possible on-job injuries that can occur when handling residents. This response in turn brought a backlash from the community asking the three PAPHR representatives in attendance how they can justify an increase in wages, to which no direct answer was presented.
Community representatives inquired about the reduced lab services in its community from three hours per week to two and one hours every second week. Blaine Lake Clinic is steadily losing patients because of this reduction made by PAPHR. Instead of 10-12 patients weekly the numbers have declined to 10-12 every second week. It was emphasized senior and ailing residents of the community require blood work weekly.
The other concern brought forward was how PAPHR can justify having a lab technician travel from Spiritwood to Blaine Lake when there is a competent and qualified lab technician in Hafford.
Hunt explained issues regarding courier service and delivery of specimens within its collection perimeters. Hunt explained how the region is mandated to meet certain requirements with implementation of a transportation strategy. After extensive discussion, Hunt indicated she would take the concern back to their budget strategy committee without any promises of having the service re-instated.
It was asked if PAPHR could negotiate with Muskeg Lake Cree Nation to open their nursing home. This would increase availability of beds within a new facility. 'Can we not utilize a facility within our region that is already there?' was the question. Hunt explained how the Muskeg Lake Nursing Home was a two-year pilot project with funding from the Ministry of Health. After the two years, it was the decision of the chief and council to close the facility.
One gentleman challenged the PAPHR mission statement on its website that states "The Prince Albert Parkland Health Region works with people and communities to promote health, prevent illness and provide safe, quality health services."
It was agreed by those in attendance that PAPHR has not been reflective of this in Hafford and Blaine Lake areas.
Another concerned resident observed that "before the regionalization of the health boards, the communities had good services and were operating in the black, and during the regionalization process, we were promised better services, better equipment, that is not so and the region now operates in the red."
Hunt responded by admitting the PAPHR is faced with challenges, is in a deficit and, when faced with a major shortfall, they have to look at staffing and its costs.
Another issue brought forward related to the work completed to date on the gazebo for the residents at the Hafford SCC. It was asked, "why was a contractor hired to pour the concrete base at a cost of $11,000 when a group of citizens offered to volunteer their time and were declined?"
Hunt has no response but said she would look into the matter.
Final discussion concerned bequests and donations and how was a community ensured money designated for specific use towards a specific facility was directed there? Hunt reassured those in attendance that "diligent records of all donations are kept regardless of department or facility."
The three PAPHR representatives quickly departed once the meeting was completed.
