To the Editor,
Nanaimo city council and the Vancouver Island Health Authority need to re-assess their mandates.
St. Albert, Alta. built a multiplex facility for approximately $43 million and in the first year alone lost more than $2 million.
The city eventually had to get a sponsor in order to offset the massive taxpayer burden, but now property taxes have gone through the roof to maintain this poorly-used facility.
Nanaimo council needs to get its act together and do some personal research prior to having us pay for these proposed and ongoing consultant fees.
That is why it was elected – to effectively manage the public purse.
As for registered nurse cutbacks at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, again let’s look at similar models in neighbouring health-care facilities.
Edmonton has been attempting this idea with a view to reducing the costs to a system where no premiums are paid by the taxpayer.
It now has a suspect non-professional patient care staffing problem with low staff morale.
We in B.C. do pay premiums and are entitled to the best care possible by well-trained professionals.
Not only for the well-being of the patients, but for the morale and physician confidence in the after-care system.
Also, let’s get back to name tags or uniform differential so patients know what standard of nursing staff is attending to their needs.
Nursing staff with a few months course compared to a four-year degree?
Totally unacceptable.
Stew Horley
Nanaimo