News Release Archive

HEALTH--EMERGENCY ROOM CLOSING AVERTED AT HANTS HOSPITAL
-----------------------------------------------------------------
An agreement has been reached with four doctors at the Hants
Community Hospital to keep the emergency department open, the
Central Regional Health Board announced today.

"We are very pleased that the situation has been resolved," said
Dr. Fred French, chair of the regional board. "The efforts of the
medical staff, the Central board, hospital staff and the
Department of Health have all contributed to averting the
night-time closing of the emergency department at the Hants
Community Hospital."

The agreement to keep the emergency department open followed
discussions earlier today with doctors at the hospital.

"The board would like to thank the physicians for their community
commitment and willingness to continue providing quality patient
care under difficult conditions," said Dr. French. "Local
municipal officials, members of the Save Our Services group, the
community health board and Windsor-area residents should also be
thanked."

Dr. French credited Health Minister Bernie Boudreau for
recognizing the urgency of the situation in Windsor and other
community hospitals in the province.

"Without the package announced earlier this week for physicians
working in community hospital emergency rooms, I don't know if
this agreement today would have been possible," Dr. French said.

Said Mr. Boudreau: "I would like to personally thank the
physicians for their dedication to their patients and to their
community. The action by physicians today allows for the
development of long-term solutions."

The regional board will continue to work to attract more
physicians to Windsor to resolve staffing issues for doctors in
the community in the long term, said Dr. French.

Residents of the Windsor area with a medical emergency can
continue to receive services as usual at the Hants Community
Hospital on a 24-hour basis. The emergency department had been
slated to close overnight starting tonight.

-30-

Contact: Dr. Fred French
         Chair
         Central Regional Health Board
         902-471-3244

         Anne Marie Pellerin
         Central Regional Health Board
         902-420-8825

trp                 Apr. 18, 1997 - 4:55 p.m.