| Facebook group takes stance against Cypress Health Region |
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| Local Content - Local News |
| Written by publisher |
| Thursday, 04 February 2010 19:40 |
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By Allison Werbowetsky With the vast Internet at our fingertips, expressing views, opinions and concerns to the mass population is easy to do, and with the aid of the uber-popular social networking site, Facebook.com, the options are endless. Eastend’s Alan Howard started up a group on the site exposing his concerns about the state of health services in southwest Saskatchewan. Directing his outcry to Cypress Health Region, southwest area MLAs and even the premier, Howard hopes he can soon stimulate operational changes. “I think if we sort of hold the politicians’ feet to the fire maybe we’ll get some answers and get some things solved,” he said. Howard has asked other people with similar views to come forward as well, advocating they write letters posted or emailed to all parties involved. Howard says his main concern is the Cypress Health Region’s “top-heavy” administration. “I’m very concerned about the appointed boards, I’m very concerned about the leadership and management of the health region, which appears to be dysfunctional. Those are the things that I’m really upset about,” he commented. In the meantime, the health region has become quite familiar with Howard’s endeavors. However, after numerous attempts to contact Howard directly, CEO Jim Hornell has not been able to reach him. “We welcome him to call us back,” said director of communications, Bryce Martin. “We are aware that the Facebook advocacy group has been initiated by Mr. Howard, and we realize the importance of the concerns being raised and posted by individuals on the Facebook page. In the past, as we always have done, and it’s no different in this case, we have had ongoing discussions with municipal and other community leaders regarding similar concerns that are being posted by individuals,” he said. However, Howard is not easily convinced. Presently working as a substitute teacher for the Chinook School Division, he travels the southwest region extensively and hears ongoing issues from residents in nearly every rural community. “No matter where I go – whether I go to Frontier, Climax, Val Marie, Maple Creek, Eastend, Shaunavon, Gull Lake, Tompkins, any of those places – the first thing people talk about often is the fact that Swift Current – and I know they mean Cypress Health Region – is shafting us in every way that they see fit.” “Whether that’s true or not, and as (local MLA) Wayne Elhard said, in politics, and this is all politics, perception is often reality,” he added. Howard believes the current “centralized” state of the health region is not working, and suggests that by giving residents the ability to elect the board members of the Cypress Regional Health Authority instead, they will feel more involved – and likely more satisfied – with the state of the health services being provided to them. As of right now, he feels that residents – and Maple Creek residents, in particular – are provided with no straight, concrete answers. Howard is advocating wiping the slate clean and starting over again with a brand new, elected board. “An appointed board in this day and age is not democratic. You have to be able to get rid of these people by election if you don’t agree with them. I think if it’s elected – elected, that’s the key – I think it would be more responsive to the local peoples’ needs and concerns. I don’t know what the answer is, I just know it’s not what’s happening now,” he said. When the health region was established in 2002, the intent was in fact to have an elected board, said Martin. However, with little interest in the process that year, it was collectively concluded that all 12-member regional health boards will be appointed by the provincial government Anybody interested in acting as a regional health authority board member is asked to fill out a lengthy and detailed application online, and “the health region does not play a part in the selection of the individuals,” he said. Howard moved back to Eastend two years ago after growing up there originally. After spending the bulk of his adult years teaching and working various positions for Calgary and Vancouver school boards, he decided to move back home to retire. The motivation for his endeavors against the health region do not come from any personal negative experience at any of the region’s facilities. In fact, the one time he had to visit the local nurse practicioner, his visit was “totally satisfactory,” he said. He realizes, however, that the problems lie within the administration. In retort, the administration invites a conversation. “We feel that such a discussion between our CEO and Mr. Howard would allow the chance to have some good conversation, provide some answers to his questions and concerns, and hopefully provide a bit of rationale and information on some of the questions that Mr. Howard is asking,” Martin said. |
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