By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: August 21, 2008
The North Okanagan’s MLAs insist they aren’t ignoring public concerns about Vernon Jubilee Hospital. The Vernon Taxpayers Association claims Health Minister George Abbott hasn’t acted on an 18,000-name petition about health care, and Okanagan Vernon MLA Tom Christensen hasn’t provided information on the private sector’s role in a new diagnostic and treatment tower. “There is plenty of action going on,” said George Abbott, who is Shuswap MLA. “We are working very hard to finalize the contract terms for the medical services tower. We hope to be in a position within a few days to make an announcement.” Tony Stamboulieh, association spokesman, questions why Abbott hasn’t acknowledged the petition, which demanded more acute care beds, operating rooms, nurses and an MRI machine. “The minister has not spoken to us once,” said Stamboulieh. “We have to inform people that their signatures count for nothing as far these politicians are concerned.”The association sought information from Christensen July 6 on Infusion Health, a private consortium that may be involved in the planning, constructing, financing and operating the tower. “There’s no information and they (government) carry on like it’s a good idea,” said Stamboulieh. “No one seems to get any information that we are entitled to know.”
Christensen insists the association’s questions may be premature. “The Interior Health Authority continues to work towards finalizing the project and it went through the tender process. I don’t want to say anything that may jeopardize negotiations,” he said. Christensen believes the public wants a major expansion of VJH. “That’s what I’ve been working towards with George Abbott and IHA.” In terms of new acute care beds, Abbott says there will be additional capacity through two shelled-in floors in the tower, and the ministry is looking at the issue of nurses. “Nurses are a precious commodity and we are working hard to add nursing spaces in B.C.,” he said of the post-secondary education system.
Stamboulieh vows that the association will continue to push for improvements at VJH, and he is putting together a fact file. “The association invites all citizens who have been victimized by these shortages and who have had to sleep in corridors or worse to share their story with the association,” he said.
7 comments:
Christenson is hilarious
Before any tender process the citizens must be told who Infusion Health are
Where is their Head Office and
What is their part in our publicly funded Health System
BEFORE ANY PRIVATE -FOR- PROFIT ENTERPRISE IS ALLOWED ACCESS TO OUR HEALTH RESOURCES!
WHY DOES CHRISTENSON NOT REPLY???
Also building shells is meaningless unless there is a commitment and a date for extra acute care beds
A shell was built at the Vancouver General Hospital and named after Jim Pattison and it took TEN YEARS BEFORE BEDS WERE PUT IN IT!!
STOP PLAYING MIND GAMES MR CHRISTENSON AND ANSWER A SIMPLE QUESTION
Who are Infusion Health and what part are they playing at the VERNON
JUBILEE HOSPITAL?
Campbell's government is bringing private for profit healthcare through the back door and we shall not stop questioning it!
Who cares, they have the contract now. Do you feel empowered Mr. Taxpayer?
you will find out'who cares' at the next Provincial election
We are so happy that the Vernon and Coldstream Rate Payers will save us...NOT...
These people (Snow white and the seven dwarfs aka Robin Hood) have to realize that they're a passing fad. The ture tax payers see through the smoke and mirrors. There are only so many soap boxes that can be stood on.
maybe skooreeko will
soap boxes for sale
Signed RH
'Passing fad 'did you say??
I suggest you take a look at the voter support whenever that'passing fad' goes to bat for the community!
'Soap boxes for sale'
signed-RH on behalf of Maid Marianne
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