Editor:
Re: Doctors called alarmists for hospital comments, letter to the editor, Feb. 18
Comments by physicians at Delta Hospital are not alarmist, unnecessary and certainly do not do a disservice to the hospital and the community, despite what hospital executive director Catherine Butler suggests.
What is alarming, however, is Butler's smug, airbrushed comments justifying the lack of acute surgical cover, particularly after 3 p.m. and on weekends.
She is preaching to the converted with regard to the excellent day surgery program but what she must note is that Delta, in particular South Delta, has not only an aging population but also a new generation growing up and the lack of surgical cover is appalling.
What will it take to get the message through to Butler? We already have the fewest acute care beds per capita in the province, yet the growing population justifies expanded surgical cover.
Lastly, she mentions the Fraser Health surgical program will benefit from an additional 650 surgeries in the next two months. What she doesn't mention is that this is to avoid up to $1 million in fines and that Delta Hospital will not be carrying out any of these.
Peter Douglas
