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"iene gr, oI - sweeping changes to area RENT & SAVE The Party Addition ~ For All Your Party Needs ~ Hwy. 7A & Water St. - Port Perry (905) 985-7771 CLASSIFIEDS Airport Service 985-0170 1-800-361-0216 REAL ESTATE rast 11BathiNG Purposes} ae Of Enyronmenty Regth Series OR By Scott Anderson Port Perry Star Durham residents have a couple more weeks to comment on the future of area hospitals after the deadline was extended recently. Written comments concern- ing Durham Region District Acute Care study will now be ac- cepted by the steering commit- tee until August 1. The original deadline was July.7. The extension was an- nounced by the council last week. The Acute Care Study, enti- tled "Designing a Hospital Sys- tem for the Future," suggested Tospi- tals. The recommendations includ- ed changes to Community Me- morial Hospital in Port Perry. The report suggested the fa- cility would retain "some emer- FREE Gas BB |_PoRT PERRY 986-0738 » OSHAWA - Bloor St. 671-7862 « BOWMANVI gency and inpatient capacity while exploring new roles in re- lation to ambulatory outpatient and community-based modal- ities of care." A public meeting, held in Port Perry last month generated much interest with more than 260 people packing the Latch- am Centre to express concern over the changes. And the message delivered that night was not to sacrifice the personal attention provided at the 46-bed hospital in Scu- gog. But the most interest has been shown in Whitby, where the report suggested transform- ing the general hospital into a rehabilitation centre. This has raised the ire of many in the region. Two public meetings last month saw more than 1,000 people appear to voice their concerns. Public consultation is one I step in the steering committee's process concerning the report as it garners information before making a final report. "Consultation is part of the process. Final decisions have not been made and nothing is carved in stone," DRDHC's Lin- da Hessey said recently. The public comments will be used to prepare the final report before it is submitted to the province's Minister of Health. Local officials were praising the deadline extension. "I'm pleased to hear that the deadline has been extended," said CMH ddministrator Dave Brown. "I didn't think July 7 was realistic." The change will allow CMH officials to rework the com- ments which they had prepared for the deadline. "Now we have a little more time to review," he said. Mayor Howard Hall also ap- Hospital deadline extended until Aug. 1 plauded the decision. "It's good they're giving us a little more time for everybody to iy up with comments," he said. By moving the date, the health council is being respon- sive to the community," he said, "They're actually showing good faith, if nothing else. They obviously want to hear from the public." - Ch St. 6 rm 228 « UXBRIDGE - Hwy. 47 at Douglas Rd. 8562-56382 ¢ WHITBY - Dundas St. 434-0688 a