By Sheri Monk

The Oversight Committee, comprised of members representing funding partners for the new integrated healthcare facility at Maple Creek, met Dec. 2 and reaffirmed their support for the project.
At the meeting, the committee was briefed on the status of the project, which is currently at a standstill. Inerested parties are awaiting a meeting with the health region, the steering committee and the authors of two separate studies calling for two very different facilities.
Maple Creek Mayor Barry Rudd says that at the meeting, the RMs, towns and other representatives elected to write two letters. One was to Cypress Health Region, the other to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health.
The letter to the health region as well as to the health region’s board addressed how staff’s time off during the now averted 10-day closure at Maple Creek hospital was addressed.
“In the letter we wrote to the health region and to Tyler Bragg, (chair of Cypress Health Region Board) we invited him to our council meeting,” said Rudd, adding Bragg will be attending Maple Creek’s Dec. 22 council meeting. “He was invited to every RM meeting and every council meeting between now and Christmas.”
Rudd says the issues of staff scheduling at the hospital arose after it was learned the hospital may have been closed for 10 days. Rudd says staff were asked to work at another hospital or facility in the region, to take vacation days or time off without pay. Rudd says staff at the hospital were upset, because many were saving vacation days for planned holidays in the new year and others didn’t want to work too far from home during the Christmas season.
“We just said that we wanted an explanation as to why our staff were being treated like this and we want to talk about the future of any more of these disruptions and how they’re going to handle it. We want some answers because it’s affecting the people of our town. The staff up there, some were bawling. And another issue was the resignation of the manager,” Rudd said. “They have no right to treat people like that. They have a gag order on all the staff up there, everybody is scared to talk, they’re scared to even look at anybody for fear of losing their jobs.”
Rudd said Bragg will be asked about work atmosphere at the hospital.
“It’s time that you guys be up-front with us here. What’s your plan? What’s the government’s plan?” Rudd asked, referring to the health region.
The 10-day closure has been reduced to a four-day closure and staff will continue to work at the hospital, meaning premature taking of holiday time has also been avoided.
Rudd says a separate letter was sent to the top dogs in the province addressing other issues.
“A different letter went to the Ministry of Health and the Premier, just on our displeasure with how this whole thing (hospital) is being handled. They’re playing hardball and they pulled that $18 million out of the health region’s account and put it back in their general coffers,” said Rudd.
The mayor said the letter also included comments to show support for the project’s steering committee – Duane Migowsky, Tom Flanagan, Wilf Parsons and Arden Erman.
“We said that their voice is ours. We’re just reaffirming the fact that these people are still speaking on behalf of us,” Rudd explained.
Meanwhile, Migowsky – who typically acts as the steering committee’s spokesperson – is no longer talking to the media about the project. He says he’s keeping mum because he is obligated to honour a request to keep negotiations confidential until such time as a positive announcement can be made.
Cypress Health Region spokesperson Bryce Martin confirmed receipt of the letters. He says the health region is mutually concerned and is attending every meeting officials have been invited to.
“We have received several letters from municipal governments over the last week inviting the region to attend their council meetings to discuss issues of mutual concern – we have attended all of them that we were able to, within the notices provided. The councils had a number of questions regarding the proposed capital project in Maple Creek and the potential disruption of services at the Maple Creek Hospital,” said Martin in an email to The Badger.
Martin also noted health districts have a long history of meeting with municipal governments within the region they serve.