OurTMH Chair Mike Cowan speaks to a supporter at an open house meeting Wednesday.(Photo: Quinte News.)
There might be a so called “pause” in the planned move of day surgery to Belleville General from Trenton Memorial Hospital, but there’s absolutely no pause in OurTMH’s effort to keep the surgeries at Trenton.
That was one of the main messages in front of a packed Quinte West council chambers tonight (Wednesday) as OurTMH held another town hall meeting.
Chair of OurTMH, Mike Cowan, said they are still waiting for word from Quinte Health Care on what is going to happen regarding surgery.
“The people of this community want their hospital to remain as it is today, no more cuts, and no more transfers of services.”
Cowan also said that the proposed “health hub” that might be built on QHC land across from the Trenton hospital will not lull residents to sleep, and that hospital services must remain in Trenton, whether there’s a health hub or not.
OurTMH does not support the final report released by the TMH Implementation Task Force recently.
The Southeast Local Health Integration Network board will discuss the health hub proposal at its meeting this coming Monday.
Co-Chair John Smylie described the group’s work regarding a possible lawsuit should cutbacks occur at TMH.
He and others have consulted with a lawyer over the past few weeks and have options and a plan ready should legal
action be necessary.
“Launching legal action will be very expensive and will only be used as a last option should serious cuts be proposed for Trenton Memorial”, said Smylie.
On another topic, OurTMH board member Jim Leonard said work continues by local politicians and others to have a
new Veterans Centre of Excellence move into vacant space at Trenton Memorial Hospital.
The Ontario Minister of Health and Long Term Care has publicly said he supported such a facility in Trenton, however, there are others also working to have a Centre located in their communities.
Leonard said “we believe we have the strongest business case but you never can tell when politics is involved.”
Mayor of Quinte West Jim Harrison pointed out that two members of Brighton council, Roger McMurray and John Martinello were in attendance at the meeting.
“This is the first time Brighton councillors have been to this kind of meeting in over a year. They are here tonight because they are losing doctors in Brighton. When it hits home, people start to realize how important having a full service hospital in Trenton really is.”
In response, Councillor Martinello said he and Roger McMurray were there not only because of concerns about losing doctors but to also learn more about what what was going on with Trenton Memorial Hospital in order to answer the many questions that Brighton residents are asking.
Meanwhile, OurTMH is looking to fill buses to go to Bancroft this Tuesday for Quinte Health Care’s Annual General Meeting.
The bus ride is free. Buses leave the Dunc McDonald arena and Ebeneezer Christian Reformed Church in Trenton at 2:15, and King Edward Park in Brighton at 2 o’clock on Tuesday.
OurTMH is planning to demand surgeries remain in Trenton and that the movement of equipment out of Trenton be stopped at the QHC board meeting in Bancroft.
Cowan said he thought QHC chose Bancroft as the location for its AGM so people wouldn’t bother attending.
To reserve a seat, call Frank Barry at 613-392-4085 before Friday at 3 p.m.
Wendy Warner, Executive Director of the Trenton Memorial Hospital Foundation commended OurTMH for its many accomplishments in its short history.
OurTMH has 700 members, but is shooting for a membership of 5,000.
