Close to home
Who is best placed to decide? Who should say what a hospital is in Picton? In Trenton? Or Belleville? Windsor? Cornwall? Does it matter? We are, after all, the same species, with a fairly predictable basket of health care needs. For most of the past century it was the hospital itself that determined how to […]
Stalled
It has been 90 days since council was elected. Many members were just getting used to their new chairs when they were thrust into a dizzying budget process—learning to make sense of a $57-million government in a week. But they worked hard. Diligently. Long days of listening, asking questions and making some difficult choices. They […]
Turn back
It is not too late. No money has been spent. All will be forgiven if County council walks away from plans to reshape and rebuild Union Road. It was an ill-considered compromise. The kind of deal that is cobbled together too frequently in politics at all levels. Made in haste, and in a jumble of […]
The County in winter
Perhaps it was the brilliant blue skies that lured folks outdoors this past weekend. Or perhaps just impatience with a winter and snowfall that never seems to end. Or maybe it is the plunging value of the Canadian dollar. Or is it that we are getting better at winter in Prince Edward County? The County […]
Speak now
These are the days decisions are being made about your hospital. They are being made behind closed doors and out of sight. By the time we know what they are cutting, how deeply they are cutting, how radically the intend to alter hospital services in our community—it will all be over. This is why it […]
The risk of hot chocolate
It is easy to retreat indoors in January and February. It’s cold and dark outside. Inside, it is warm and there are flickering computer and television screens ready to offer a diversion. It’s seductive. But deadly. So it is encouraging to note that for the past couple of weeks, a handful of folks in Milford […]
Conditioning
It has been only six years since Quinte Health Care’s administration and governance underwent life-altering surgery. It was a traumatic time. Though in the brief history of the hospital corporation, there have been few days that weren’t coloured with drama, intrigue and disappointment. Since 1998, QHC has also had its share of ‘new beginnings’ and […]
A different angle
He couldn’t breathe. The pain bearing down on his chest was becoming more than he could stand. Every intake of air was work. The fit young man had had flu symptoms for days, but now it was worse. Much worse. The decision was made to take him to the hospital. It was 10 o’clock at […]
Surveying the wreckage
A good friend of mine runs a business in the County. He has done so for 40 years. He showed me his electricity bill last week. In December, he spent $770 on electricity. It was one of the least expensive lines on his bill. The global adjustment charge was $4,267.32. There was also a delivery […]
Undoing
Stop me if you’ve heard this before. A forced amalgamation in 1998. Turmoil ensues. The newly forged institution fails to deliver savings. Instead, it struggles each year to contain its budget. A supervisor is brought in to take the reins for a while. Meanwhile, a procession of outside experts peer in and write reports. Yet […]