CRHA - An Autonomous Board

CALGARY REGIONAL HEALTH AUTHORITY (CRHA)

* Autonomous Board * No Freedom Of Information * No Public Hearings * No Disaster Plan *

* There are 17 autonomous Regional Health Authorities in Alberta, each regulating health plans for their own region, how can this be classed as universal health care? The Calgary Regional Health Authority (CRHA) is an appointed board comprised of a majority of people whose expertise is in business and not in health care. The CRHA, not bound by the Freedom of Information Act is another level of bureaucracy created by the government.

Because the CRHA's decision to close the Bow Valley Hospital / General Hospital, without public input into the plans, and no accountability for the use of public funds, it is impossible for citizens of Calgary to obtain any information from the board resulting in frustrations, anger and resentment at not being allowed to participate in the decision make process. We have requested a public hearing, a mock disaster in the downtown area, and a moratorium on further hospital closures which fallen on deaf ears. The closing of the General Hospital has been refuted by those knowledgeable in the health care field and yet has been disregarded.

Calgarians have not been allowed to participate in the planning of their own health care needs, How democratic is an appointed board making decisions on health care without citizen participation?

* LACK OF CONSULTATION WITH THE PROFESSIONALS *

* What is hidden agenda behind closure *

* Doctors, Emergency Medical Services, Health Care Workers, the Public at large have all protested the closure of the General Hospital as a crisis situation. Meetings, protests, letters, petitions, trips to the legislature have fallen on the deaf ears of the Premier, the Tory MLA's and the CRHA. These actions resulted in convincing many individuals that there is "a hidden agenda" behind the closure of the General Hospital!.

CITIZENS AT RISK

* 300,000 people * Seniors * Psychiatric Cases * Large numbers of expendable *

* Calgary will be the only city in North America without an inner city Hospital *

* The proposed closure of the General Hospital will leave the inner city of Calgary comprised of approximately 100,000 residents and another 100,000 workers, plus the large numbers who attend the Calgary Stampede, the upcoming Police and Fire Games, the proposed Expo 2005 who will not have access to downtown emergency care.

The CRHA proposes to replace the General Hospital with a walk-in clinic "Episodic Care and Community Centre". This clinic will be like any walk-in clinic but, will not be able to handle emergencies, let alone a disaster. The inner city residents of Calgary comprised of a large number of seniors, poor psychiatric cases, and the homeless will be left at risk as they have no vehicle to access emergency care at the peripheral hospitals. All these people are expendable as clearly there is no intention to provide full emergency care in the inner city.