Save the maternity ward and build a health system we can trust — those were the sentiments heard during Friday night’s emotionally charged Niagara Health System public meeting at Kingston College.

Passionate Niagara Falls residents, politicians and doctors assembled in the auditorium to voice concerns over the proposed NHS plan to move services such as pediatrics, obstetrics and psychiatry out of the Greater Niagara General Hospital and into a more “centralized” location in St. Catharines.

Resounding remarks over the “mistrust” of the NHS system were heard throughout the night, with residents demanding more say over the future of their health care.
“The relationship between the NHS and the community of Niagara Falls is broken,” said Coun. Carolynn Iaonnoni, chair of the city’s ad-hoc committee looking at the proposed changes.

She said relations between the NHS and residents has been severed over miscommunication and repeated “lies.”

Dr. Jack Kitts, the man appointed to review the plan and make final recommendations to the NHS, joined the group of about 200 residents, after first visiting St. Catharines earlier in the evening for a public meeting there.

Although Kitts remained fairly quiet throughout the two-hour meeting, he did initially greet the crowd upon his arrival, appeasing them he did not come with any pre-existing judgments.

“Myself and my team, we’re not here to rubberstamp a hospital improvement plan,” he said. “We’re actually going to review the plan from an objective basis — really placing ourselves as a patient in Niagara.”

According to Kitts, at the moment, Niagara is not functioning as a “community”. He said he heard that message “loud and clear” during a public meeting in Fort Erie on Thursday evening, where an estimated 5,000 residents showed up at the Leisureplex.

“It was a surprise. It was shocking ... I think in terms of health care, if the citizens of Niagara ... are going to receive world-class health care, you need to think as a community.

“The area of Niagara cannot sustain six, full-service (hospitals), that do world-class care.”

Kitts compared the principles of the NHS plan to a similar merge seen at The Ottawa Hospital, where he currently sits as president.

“I know that Ottawa is not Niagara and never will be, but I think that the principles that apply to quality health care apply universally.

“The whole has to be bigger than the sum of its parts,” Kitts said.

But many local physicians feel a merge in Niagara would put a costly strain on the system and could actually deter qualified doctors from the region.
Instead, they suggest placing a larger hospital in a more “central” location, like the Falls.

Currently a new hospital is proposed at the corner of Fourth Avenue and First Street in St. Catharines.

“The NHS is proposing to spend close to a billion dollars that belongs to this region and as it looks now this is a plan that is designed to benefit, mostly, the St. Catharines community. I think that is unfair,” said Everard Phala, an anesthesiologist at GNGH.

A petition, containing 120 doctors’ signatures, was recently passed around the medical community in Niagara Falls, calling for a change in location for the proposed regional hospital.

The closure of the GNGH maternity ward was of particular concern and highlighted several times throughout the discussion.

Coun. Victor Pietrangelo addressed Kitts directly, speaking specifically about his recent experiences in the ward.

“Five days ago my wife gave birth to our third child,” he said. “While it may not have been the fastest delivery ever, I just thank god we didn’t have to drive 30 minutes to a centre of excellence located in west St. Catharines, because we wouldn’t have made it.”

At the end of the meeting, Dr. Kitts assured residents their complaints and suggestions were heard.

“I know how difficult it is,” he concluded. “We did listen and we have lots of copious notes ... I really want to convey that we do care.”

Dr. Jack Kitts is due in Port Colborne for another public meeting on Oct. 15.
His recommendations will be presented to the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant Local Health Integration Network on Oct. 28.

Copies of the proposed plan can be found online at www.niagarahealth.on.ca, or can be accessed at local libraries.