Hospital woes ‘disgraceful’: Goertzen

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This article was published 13/05/2015 (3270 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Steinbach MLA Kelvin Goertzen was unimpressed by news that Southern Health has selected a consultant to tackle the issue of Bethesda hospital’s entranceway, which has been criticized for its narrow wheelchair ramp and steep staircase since it opened last year.

The health authority issued a press release this week noting that it has awarded its consulting contract to ft3 architecture to study accessibility and potential redesign options.

“It’s disgraceful that we are only at the stage of “consultations” to consider how to fix the entrance. The problems have been known for almost a year,” Goertzen said yesterday.

He noted that Health Minister Sharon Blady said it was her top priority as recently as last week.

“Yet every day people who are sick and mobility challenged struggle to enter the busiest hospital in the region,” said Goertzen. “I hear the stories almost daily for those who struggle with the entrance.”

Jan Gunness, director of health sciences for Bethesda Regional Health Centre, says that the consultants will review the ramp, main entrance, as well as patient flows between the main entrance and emergency department.

Gunness said that focusing on changes to the ramp will be the first priority. She expects that a public open house will be held in June to share possible solutions with the public.

Recommendations on the other two aspects of the study will come at a later date with further open houses to be expected, Gunness said.

Goertzen said he believes the delays are more the result of internal woes of the NDP.

“I am convinced the dysfunction within the NDP government has delayed the fix and it is those who are sick and have mobility issues who are paying the price for the infighting and dysfunction of the NDP,” he said.