Delta is joining forces with advocates trying to improve the surgical care at the community's hospital.
Friends of Delta Hospital supporters were on hand at Delta council's meeting Monday evening to hear a presentation on a report by CAO George Harvie and discussion by civic politicians about how the hospital is being woefully underfunded and under serviced compared to communities of equal size in the Fraser Health region.
Much to the satisfaction of those in attendance, council pledged its commitment to help the advocacy group and the doctors at Delta Hospital who first sounded alarm bells last fall about the shortcomings of the care they're able to provide.
Noting the hospital is grappling with an erosion of services and qualified staff, Harvie said the health region transferring 150 patients per year from Delta to other hospitals for surgical procedures that, in many cases, could be performed here is both costly and stressful.
Despite the FHA trumpeting the hospital performing thousands of day surgeries annually, the doctors of the Delta Hospital Medical Staff Association raised concern about the surgical program, which does not operate at the same level as other hospitals.
In Delta, operating rooms close at 3 p.m., which means those who require urgent procedures after that time have to be transferred to another hospital.
There was agreement among council members that Delta isn't getting its fair share and a strong business case can be made for a fuller surgical program, especially with Canada's largest container port in the community planning to double in size and the arrival next year of the Tsawwassen First Nation mega malls.
Coun. Bruce McDonald said it's a shame the health region doesn't understand that North Delta is part of Delta and can be well served by Delta Hospital, which is made all the easier with the new South Fraser Perimeter Road.
"It's really, really unfortunate that Fraser Health doesn't seem to get it. We are a community of over 100,000 people and it should be treated accordingly. I'm not sure how we get that message through but I do believe that is our biggest problem... the people of South Delta are not receiving adequate care and it's not fair," said McDonald.
Saying the community will not be stopped when it comes to fighting for its most vulnerable citizens, Mayor Lois Jackson lamented how hard the community fought against the FHA to save the hospital over a decade ago, only to see an erosion of services.
She noted Delta must go straight to the politically appointed board of Fraser Health to get answers.
Council approved a series of actions, including requesting a meeting with provincial Health Minister Terry Lake.
The goal is to convince those in charge to develop a long-term, community-based health care plan toward the establishment of a 20-bed surgical ward within a 150-bed hospital, as well as in-patient mental health services and comprehensive orthopedic services, a plan that should be developed within a two-to threeyear timeframe.
Coun. Jeannie Kanakos noted council now has much more information about the hospital than had been provided by FHA officials who made a presentation at a workshop several weeks ago.
Council agreed that restoring surgical services to the hospital's previous levels would take stages, hoping to get four surgical acute care beds as recommended by the doctors, for starters.
Ultimately, the goal is "a proportionate share of the $3 billion committed by the B.C. government towards health care services over the next three years be targeted to fund service improvements at Delta Hospital that would bring it up to the same service levels as other hospitals in communities of comparable size in British Columbia."
Council also reiterated its support for the so-called "Declaration of Dependence" for the hospital, written by Doug Massey during the planned deep cuts by Fraser Health in the early 2000s.
Friends of Delta Hospital says it has a petition with more than 3,000 signatures, which can be signed at dozens of locations throughout the community.
