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News
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Parsons says government must protect essential health services Hay findings should be rejected March 18, 2005
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Kelvin Parsons, MHA for the District of Burgeo - La Poile, is calling on
Health Minister John Ottenheimer to reject recommendations in the Hay Report
that call for cuts to services in Port Aux Basques and Stephenville. "It is unfortunate that the Minister has not yet refuted these recommendations that would be detrimental to the region," said Parsons. "In a news release on February 24, 2005, the Minister declared that he would not close clinics, regardless of the recommendations of the Hay Group. It is this same courtesy I want the Minster to extend to the people of Stephenville and Port Aux Basques." The Hay Group report recommended that obstetric, surgery and other services be removed from health facilities in Port Aux Basques and Stephenville. The report states that patients on the southwest coast could access these services in Corner Brook, resulting in cost savings to government. "There are special circumstances that exist in these communities that obviously were not taken into consideration by the Hay Group when making their assessments and recommendations. Weather conditions on the west coast of this province are not comparable to those in other regions of this province or anywhere else in Canada. It would be unfair to force patients to drive to Corner Brook or Stephenville through the wreckhouse area to receive necessary medical care. "I have asked the Minister to immediately reject these proposed cuts by making a commitment to the people of this region. The Minister cannot hide behind the report, he has already rejected clinic closures and the people of Stephenville and Port Aux Basques deserve to know what services they will receive in the future."
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