The theme of Health Care made for one segment of the last few minutes of Monday's Prince Rupert City Council session, as Councillor Barry Cunningham put forward a notice of motion, to secure support towards a letter to Northern Health related to health care services at Prince Rupert Regional Hospital.
Of note and concern for the Councillor, is what he believes is the very real prospect for a shift of orthopaedic surgery from the Prince Rupert towards Terrace, something he took from the recent Northern Health presentation to council in the fall.
"They said that orthopaedics as we know it will be changing, but it will be near home and near home to me was that they're going to take that position and put it in Terrace.
And I think that this winter showed us that having some of our positions move to Terrace is just the wrong thing to do.
You know over the last fifteen, twenty years we've seen a diminishing of services in Prince Rupert Regional Hospital.
You know at one time we used to have an ophthalmologist that came up here, you know you could get stress testing here and things like that and they've all slowly they've all disappeared and I think it's something that we have to look at right now and consider fighting for the positions we have.
I'd actually like to add to this letter and also a definition of what core services are, because every time we turn around they're talking about taking something out our hospital.
And even though they're going to have some new positions in the hospital and that, they're just mimicking what's there ... and so I think our specialist service is something we've got to look at and try to protect ..." -- Councillor Barry Cunningham
Mr. Cunningham also noted how the Northern Health CEO had at one time told Council that none of the Prince Rupert services would be lost because of the new hospital build in Terrace. But that as he sees that is the direction that some of the people are going, with the councillor asking for a definite answer as to what exactly is going to happen.
He also observed as to how Prince Rupert serves as health centre for Haida Gwaii, which has also see its own service reductions and how changes that take place here impact on those residents as well.
The information session from the fall that the City Councillor referenced was hosted by Council in November of 2021.
Not reviewed as part of their conversation on health care in the community was the status of the much discussed, but yet to be set up Local Community Health Advocacy Committee.
The last time that City Council discussed that area of note, was in November of 2021.
As well, one person not mentioned in the discussion on Monday, but perhaps who should be included and invited to Council to speak to the topic is North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice.
It would seem sensible to include the MLA for the region to be part of any push to preserve medical service in her riding and to hear what she may be able to offer towards that fight.
You can review his full recitation of his concerns on health care from the City's Video archive page, starting at the 41 minute mark.
More notes on Monday's Council session can be explored from our Council Timeline.
While a wider overview of past Council Discussion themes can be reviewed here.
Towards past conversation points on Health care see our archive pages here.
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