Monthly Archives: December 2010

12.31.10
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Community health centre takes a hit from left field

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Admitting it was a hit right out of left field, Judith Wiley insists the resignation earlier this month of physician Janice Owen and two nurse practitioners is but a temporary setback for the CEO of Central Community Health Centre.

As documented in this corner two weeks ago, Owen jumped ship amidst claims of ineffective management and the sense she was churning through clients with less than half the funded complement of clinical staff.

Sitting down with City Scope on Wednesday at the Talbot Street centre, Wiley said it is imperative she and her staff not take Owen’s comments as a personal attack.

“You can’t take this personally,” Wiley advised. “You cannot take your eye off the big picture. And, I think that’s one of the strengths I bring to the agency. I know what we’re going to be when we’re up and running successfully.
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12.26.10
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Central Community Health Centre Taking Care of its Patients

The following media release was issued Thursday, Dec. 23 following a meeting the day previous with Central Community Health Centre CEO Judith Wiley , board chairman Cathy Grondin and the South West Local Health Integration Network.

ST. THOMAS, ON – The Central Community Health Centre (CHC) continues to take care of its patients following the recent resignation of a part-time physician and two nurse practitioners. A physician who
has been secured on an interim basis and nurse are continuing to see patients at the CHC, and the CHC is actively recruiting for physicians, nurses and nurse practitioners.

Opened in October 2010, the Central CHC is in a start-up phase and is not expected to deliver a full slate of programs and services until recruitment of its full physician and staff complement is completed in the coming year. In the interim, the Central CHC will continue to provide care to people of the area.
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12.24.10
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Dealing with staffing challenges at community health centre

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As reported in this corner last week, a doctor so ideally suited to fill the position (the observation of Michael Barrett, CEO of the Southwest Local Health Integration Network) tendered her resignation just two months after the official opening of the Central Community Health Centre in St. Thomas.

Our accounting of the departure of physician Janice Owen and two nurse practitioners (read here) drew a not unexpected angry rebuttal from Judith Wiley, executive director of the CHC and Cathy Grondin, CHC board chairman.

It also resulted in the issuance of a damage-control media release at 4:50 p.m. Thursday that alluded to “start up challenges” at the CHC with an assurance the centre remains open for patients. The release followed a meeting Thursday involving Wiley and Grondin and the SW LHIN to “discuss the recent staffing challenges.” Read release here

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12.19.10
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Ontario nurses support CLC plan to expand CPP

December 17, 2010
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty urged not to sell out the majority of Canadians to the banks and insurance companies

TORONTO—Members of the Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA) are contacting federal Finance Minister The Hon. Jim Flaherty today, reminding him that the majority of Canadians support the labour movement’s plan to expand the Canada Pension Plan (CPP).

“Minister Flaherty should be ashamed of himself for turning his back on the majority of Ontarians in favour of the few bank and insurance company executives who stand to profit from his pooled-savings gimmick,” said Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN, President of the Ontario Nurses’ Association.

“A private, defined contribution gimmick isn’t a plan,” said Haslam-Stroud. “It guarantees workers nothing except what they’d pay in.”

“The daughters and sons of Ontario’s nurses, who are struggling with the worst labour market conditions in this recession, deserve better,” said Haslam-Stroud. “Everyone deserves retirement security and a phased-in increase of CPP contributions would cover all employees with our safe, portable and efficient national pension plan.”

The Canadian Labour Congress’ (CLC) plan to gradually increase CPP contributions by 0.43 per cent of pensionable earnings for workers and employers over seven years would effectively double the average earnings replaced by CPP pension benefits, to a maximum of $1,868 (in 2010 dollars) per month.

Expanding the CPP is the best option and it’s supported by pensioners, students, Canada’s mayors and Ontario Finance Minister The Hon. Dwight Duncan.

“Ontario nurses’ message to provincial and territorial finance ministers is: Don’t be bullied by the Conservative minority,” said Haslam-Stroud. “The majority of Canadians know that expanding the CPP is the right plan, so stand up for us and let Mr. Flaherty isolate himself as he shills for his unimaginably rich friends who can’t resist finding another way to gouge us with service fees.”

– 30 –
For more information: Ontario Nurses’ Association
Ken Marciniec
Ruth Featherstone (416) 964-8833, ext. 2306 cell: (416) 803-6066
(416) 964-8833, ext. 2267

12.18.10
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Churning through patients leads to mass resignation

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It’s a classic case of the tail wagging the dog. And unfortunately, the losers in this administrative boondoggle are the close to 200 patients who have taken advantage of the services offered at the Central Community Health Centre

To set the scene, the CCHC opened its doors at 359 Talbot St., in St. Thomas on Oct. 4 to serve residents of the city, Southwold and Central Elgin who don’t have a family doctor.

On opening day, three nurse practitioners, a doctor and a registered were at the clinic to greet patients.

Little more than two months later the staff has resigned citing serious safety concerns for patients of the CCHC.

Physician Janice Owen spoke to City Scope on Friday to explain why she handed in her resignation on Dec. 3.
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12.11.10
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A new council, a new attitude, a fresh start

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Whither the Sutherland Press building? That was the point to ponder last week in this corner, and it didn’t take long for Suzanne vanBommel to take the bait.

Speaking on behalf of owner David McGee, she answered in succinct fashion.

“A new council, a new attitude, a fresh start.”

There is hope yet for the derelict and semi-roofless building that two years ago prompted the closure of Talbot Street.
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12.08.10
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Next step in St. Thomas Consolidated Courthouse project

Court services about to move to interim site in preparation for construction

ST.THOMAS – The next step in the revitalization of the historic courthouse on Wellington Street will begin with the official move to the interim site.

The move to the interim site on Silver Street will occur in late December 2010, with court beginning at that location in January 2011. During the construction period, matters for the Superior Court of Justice
will be held at a temporary courthouse located at 1 Silver Street at the corner of Burwell Road. Once the occupants have moved from the current location, fencing will surround the entire Wellington Street
site to ensure the protection and preservation of the heritage courthouse and provide safety for residents and courthouse property. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2011 and be complete
in early 2014.

The project will extensively refurbish the existing courthouse and add a major addition while respecting the grandeur of the original courthouse and the surrounding residential neighbourhood. Construction at
the historic site will include the removal of some buildings in order to make way for the new courthouse which will incorporate the existing courthouse and the former Land Registry Office.

The new facility will consolidate two existing courthouses – the Superior Court of Justice at 8 Wellington Street and the Ontario Court of Justice at 145 Curtis Street – into one modern facility.

“I am extremely pleased to see that the consolidated courthouse project is continuing to progress according to plan and on schedule,” Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP Steve Peters said.

“While those residents who require court services in Elgin-St. Thomas have waited for many years for this to happen, we will soon have a refurbished, modern facility that will serve our community for decades to come.”

12.07.10
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Complete transcript of Mayor Heather Jackson-Chapman’s inaugural address – Dec. 6, 2010

Tonight begins a revolution. Together, we, as a community will begin
the hard work of embarking on a path toward economic renewal and
community revitalization. Together, we will pave the way to the future
for St. Thomas.

Imagine: anticipating possibilities, creating a vision and a direction,
assessing alternatives, scanning terrain and mapping our route ahead.
It is not about predicting the future, it is about mapping a course and
building the road for getting from here to there. The process will
require many skills and there will be room for many voices to be
heard: Members of Council, City employees, community volunteers,
students, Members of the business community and the social sector
agencies.
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12.07.10
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Rev. Matthew Penny’s charge to new St. Thomas council – Dec. 6, 2010

Your worship mayor Jackson-Chapman, members of city council, special guests, ladies and gentlemen: it is both an honour and privilege for me to be here tonight to speak with you and witness a new day, a new beginning, in the life of the city of St. Thomas.

Thank you Heather, for inviting me to be here tonight. As I look around at the members of council there are some faces I am not totally familiar with, but some I do know well. In fact looking around there are at least two of you whose weddings I have performed. Perhaps the way to look at what we do tonight is use the analogy of a wedding. You’re all wed, stuck with (?) each other for the next 4 years.
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