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Region won't tax to WIIITBY FREE PRE SS, TtrSDAYJUNI ý 0,11)81,PAGEI fund hospiîtals By MICHIAEL KNELL Free Press Staff Regional hospitals will not receive funding from Durham Regional Council to undertake capital projects. Last week, regional council rejected a request f rom the Durham Region District Health Council asking that the region raise money for these proje- ts through the property tax system. Not only was the request rejected, but one councillor Sometime in "the near future" approvai is expected from the On- tario government to re- open the second floor of Whitby's J.O. Ruddy General Hospital, ac- cording to its president. Jack Prost said in his officiai report to the hospital's annuai meeting iast Wednesday that the board was suc- cessful in its opposition to a consultant's recommendation that the Ruddy facility be used as the basis for the redevelopment of the Whitby Psychiatric Hospital. Heaiso said that the board's opposition had the support of the Durham Region District Health Council. "The council has submitted a recommen- dation to the heaith minister that 32 beds on the second floor be piaced back in service for use by long-term patients," Frost said. He added that "we understand that ap- proval has been delayed until funding priorities have been sorted out but we expect to receive ap- proval in the near future." It has been estimated that the cost to convert the floor is ap- proximateiy $460,000 and that annual operating expenses couid reach $&50,000. Frost also reported that one of the board's major concerns was maintenance and that they had approved a $25,000 expenditure to improve the hospital's drainage system to prevent any risk of fioodingý on the ground floor. The hospital's ad- ministrator, John Kunetsky, told the meeting that the opening of the second floor is needed because over the next 20 years the percentage of people over age. 65 wiil amost double reaching 15 per cent from the current eight per cent. "This will place even more stress on our questioned whether or not they should be dealing with the district heaith council at ail. "We have some problems with the district health councl," was the observation of Regional Councillor John Aker (Oshawa), chairman of the finance- committee. It was Aker's commit- tee that recommended that the hospitals not receive funding from the region through the property tax system. "It (the health coun- budget and it's inter- esting to note that while we have a five per cent drop in the number of patients discharged, patients stayed longer," he said. Shouid the second floor be re-opened, Kunetsky said that em- phasis would be on rehabilitation thereby allowing patients to be discharged earlier. Kunetsky also pointed out what appears to be the major probiemn in providing health care services. "With health care costs expected to be more than $13.5 billion in Ontario this year, the ministry has piaced severe restraints on al our budgets. "The public appears to approve of these measures, yet at the same time we are receiving demands for additional services and an upgrading of existing cil) was created by, f unded by and respon- sible to the provincial government," Aker said. "The province set them up to take the heat of the Ministry of Heaith.*"1 "Who are they ac- countabie to? " The finance chairman said that he would rather deal with either elected politicians or in- dividual hospitai boards than with the district health council. Henry Polak, vice- chairman of the health services," he commen- ted. council, toid regional council that shouid it decide to raise the money he wouid like it spent on the advice of the health council. "I can't figure out where the district health council fits into this," Aker said. In a deputation to council, Polak said that the health council would like to see the region adopt the practise of the old County of Ontario. The county added haif a miii to the property tax roll to raise revenue for capital projeets needed by hospitals within its jurisdiction. "What the grant did was enable a great deal of planning by area hospitals because of the avaiiabiiity of funding," Polak said. Under the present system, the province pays approximately 67 per cent of the cost of hospital expansion. The balance has to be provided through public subscription or by Durham Regionai Council. ANNUCMN Whitby Medical Centre 619 Brock St. S. wishes to announce a new associate DOCTOR ROBERT W. CHAULK 668m5835 24 hour answering service Under law, only Durham can raise tax money to be used for STAI hospitals. The local municipality has no ani such right. "Fund raising is a re-oi very difficuit thing," Polak told council ad- BOOKKI ding that these costs Local - E) should be "spread equitably amongst ail 110 Ash Si Region of Durham residents." However, Aker _______ questioned whether the district council should , be responsibie for this. Polak countered this saying that "there should be some kind of a grants program for hospitals to facilitate the future growth of hospitals in the region." "It is immediate upon ail of us that the best hospital care, within the limit of our financial 21 AWO resources, be available E to everyone," he con- tiue. terec II fi ~From 6995 anu PIOFER T ELii UINI 1 1OUND D I YiN ALMIC[*0 T(E) WH ITBV *Sterec cne N CLAYTON iounces the pening of his EEPIG SEVIC J1lwîAI!Yiened- CaingJ cmw- mr. Um- E. (et Thiokuon> = 571-3121 Hauts: Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri. - 10 a.m..9 p.m. Wed., Sat. - 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Annual meeting told.... 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