The Community Responds to the Five Hills “Update”

Recently residents of Craik and area received a mailout from Five Hills Health Region which made the claim that ‘some of the information being passed around in the community needs to be clarified”. This raises the obvious question…”Then why does Five Hills consistently refuse to collaborate or even consult with the community despite repeated requests from our mayor and reeve?” A face to face consultation with our elected leaders followed by a community meeting would do much to clarify things and provide accurate up-to-date information. WE RENEW OUR EXPECTATION THAT FIVE HILLS IMMEDIATELY CONSULT AND COLLABORATE WITH OUR COMMUNITY BEFORE DECISIONS ARE MADE THAT WILL HAVE A CRITICAL IMPACT ON OUR LIVES.

The document states that it intends to remove the resident doctor from Craik. This would be over his objections and force him to become part of a three doctor team in Davidson while still maintaining clinic hours four days a week in Craik. Such an arrangement would require that the doctor would then spend a minimum of 192 hours per year simply driving between Craik and Davidson or approximately one full month of working time. WOULDN’T IT MAKE MORE SENSE FOR THE DOCTOR TO BE USING HIS TIME ATTENDING TO PATIENTS RATHER THAN RUNNING UP AND DOWN HIGHWAY 11?

The “Update” also says that currently Davidson hospital is placed on bypass too often and claims that “A group of three physicians covering call would provide 24/7 coverage to the Emergency Room at the hospital in Davidson and improve emergency care for all in the area”. This is simply not true. Currently, the Heartland Health Region website ( as of January 21, 2015 shows the following:

  • Outlook (four resident doctors) -on bypass –no emergency services January 16 from 8 am to 5 pm and January 22 @ 5 pm until January 24 @ 8 am
  • Biggar (three resident doctors) –on bypass-no emergency services January 20 @8 am to January 23 @8 am

Clearly having three or even four resident doctors does not guarantee 24/7 emergency services.

For decades, doctors in Craik and Davidson have been willing to work collaboratively to provide high quality emergency services for the area. They are still prepared to do so. Craik has a state of the art observation and stabilization facility with well-trained efficient nurses and lab technicians. Why can’t emergency services be co-ordinated to allow ambulances to transport to the nearest facility where a doctor is available? LOCAL DOCTORS, EMS, HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THINK THAT MAKES MORE SENSE. SO DO WE.

The doctor’s current contract expires January 31, 2015. Five Hills “Update´ says “Our desire is to see a contract signed into the future that will provide ongoing physician services in Craik…”. As far as we know as of January 21, 2015 no contract offer has been made to our doctor. This means in ten days we will be without a doctor. WHY IS FIVE HILLS ALLOWING OUR DOCTOR’S CONTRACT TO EXPIRE, LEAVING US WITHOUT ANY PHYSICIAN SERVICES.

The “Update” claims “There is no change being proposed to the level of service currently being provided in Craik”. That is a world away from ‘guaranteeing there will be no change” The experience of other communities, including our next door neighbour, Central Butte, gives us ample reason not to trust such vague statements. If Five Hills was serious about maintaining services at the current level, they would not be afraid to meet and work collaboratively with our community instead of using vague self-serving ‘Updates’ while treating our duly elected local leaders with disdain. WE CONTINUE TO INSIST THAT FIVE HILLS HAVE THE COURAGE AND DECENCY TO ENGAGE IN OPEN, HONEST AND RESPECTFUL COMMUNICATION ON THE CRITICAL ISSUE OF EFFECTIVE LOCAL HEALTH CARE.

Finally, Five Hills is demanding that all comments or concerns be directed to them. Unfortunately, local taxpayers report that when they have attempted to express concerns or get information from Five Hills they have been treated

dismissively, had their words twisted around or been ignored all together. Our advice is DON’T CALL FIVE HILLS. INSTEAD WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU DIRECT YOUR CONCERNS DIRECTLY TO THEIR POLITICAL MASTERS AT THE FOLLOWING CONTACTS:

The Premier

or

Phone:306)787-9433 or (306)778-2429

MLA Arm River-Watrous

Phone:306-567-2843 (306)787-4300

Minister of Health

Phone:306-842-4810 or 306)787-7345

Minister of Rural Health

Phone:306-783-7275 (306)798-9014

MLA ThunderCreek

Phone: 306-693-3229 : (306)787-0338

Leader of the Opposition

306-787-0230

Even if you have been in contact with the political people, we encourage you to do so again.

Together We Can Make Things Happen

At the beginning of this year the Senior Vice-President of Operations for Five Hills informed the Reeve of RM 222 that he has no intention of deviating from the plan thathehad put in place nordid he have any intention of collaborating with or even consulting the local community or its duly elected leadership.

Together we can change that. Each of us has a responsibility to do everything we can to protect the well-being and safety of our community members as well as visitors and those passing by our community. Our local elected leaders are doing all they can. Now it is time for all the rest of us to get involved.

To find out how you can get more involved, please contact one of the Saving Our Health Care Task Force

Reeve Hilton Spencer 306-539-7886 hwspencer@sasktel,net

Mayor Rick Rogers 306-734-2886

The Rt. Rev. David Ashdown 306-734-9010

Mr. Webb Lee 306-734-2383

Ms CharEdwards

We also encourage you to go to the town office and sign the petition to save medical services in Craik.