The committee formed to fight proposed changes to services at Greater Niagara General Hospital has been denied an opportunity to meet with Ontario Health Minister David Caplan.

Caplan says he can't get involved in the process until the Local Health Integration Network is done reviewing the Niagara Health System's restructuring plan.

The NHS was ordered by the LHIN earlier this year to come up with a plan to balance its budget. Under its plan, the hospital system would move maternity ward and other services out of GNGH, a move opposed by the committee and many residents.

"The minister supports the LHIN and its efforts to help improve access to health care in the Niagara region and he is supportive of this by allowing this process to take place," said Caplan's spokesman Alan Findlay.

The committee, which consists of city councillors, doctors and prominent citizens, was hoping to share its concerns on the proposed changes to GNGH while attending the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference this week. They found out late last week that the health minister had other plans.

"I'm clearly disappointed, but not discouraged. I am sure the door is not closed," said Coun. Jim Diodati. "They just want to delay that type of meeting and let us vet our concerns through the LHIN."

Coun. Carolynn Ioannoni, who is heading the committee, said she didn't understand the decision not to address a new problem.

"It's really disappointing because we can't get in and see Minister Caplan on a new issue that is really affecting our community."

The minister won't meet with the committee until he sees what Dr. Jack Kitts, the Ottawa doctor in charge of reviewing the NHS's proposal, comes up with and the LHIN's response, said Findlay.

As part of a proposed restructuring plan, the NHS is looking at cutting services at some hospitals -- including moving the obstetrics department out of Greater Niagara General Hospital -- and realigning others over the next five years in order to balance its budget.

Diodati said the committee understands that there is an entire process they have to go through before a meeting with the health minister occurs.

"Who wants to get into a situation so complex and heated that it might actually underline the public process they put in place?" said Diodati.

But Ioannoni said the influences on the region is the reason the government can't look past the issue.

"The impact that plan is having on the community. In regards to services being provided, and accessibility to services, if they stay in the new location. This has become a huge issue and the Liberal government should not ignore it," she said.

That is why the pressure needs to stay on the government, said Diodati, because it really comes down to only one choice.

"We have to keep open lines with the government on his discussion, because it's local and it's our health care," said Diodati.

The hospital restructuring plan, along with the Kitts report, will be released on Oct. 28.

"They shouldn't depend on a LHIN, an un-elected body, to make the decisions for the residents," said Ioannoni. "I mean the Liberals were elected for a reason and it's disappointing to see them hand it over to an un-elected body to make the decision for 70,000 residents."