"Consultations" have already been done to death!
And it changed absolutley nothing!
A complete waste of time and money.
I would suspect it is nothing more than smoke and mirrors to give the impression that they are actually doing something!
Who are they kidding?
We already have seen what this government will do to healthcare if they get the chance!
And given the chance,they will destroy it as we know it.
Nothing more than a group of over-paid Campbell minions trying to justify their over-paid existance!

I thought this is why we paid all these guys the huge wages, so they can manage and know what they are to do to provide health care. Instead they have to come to the masses to be told what we want, and yet very few if any of the items will ever be implemented.

I asked for a long time ago, not to have to wait 5 hours in ER before seeing a Dr. That still hasn't changed. Even if it was reduced to 2 hours I would be happy.

H1N1 will totally swamp our local hospital. I mean just about any night the ER is already bursting at the seams, so how can it handle an overload like that ?

Ditto to andy and lunar' comments.
The NHA is like a bloated overweight elephant standing on undersized legs.
Top heavy, if you get my drift.
Worse, you have to be a celebrity or a politician top get decent service in terms of elective surgery.
metalman.

Amen to that metalman!
We have seen who gets the preferential treatment,but I won't mention any names.
That would be "politically" incorrect!

Re:the 5 hours waits inh the ER mentioned by metalman...a very good point and it is not getting any better!
I have close friends with health issues living in North Van.
I am always totally amazed at how fast they get in to see a doctor or a specialist specialist down there!
It's a whole different ball game on the lower mainland when it comes to healthcare.
They don't even comprehend that we can wait a year or longer up here,just to get knee surgery!
Nothern Health can consult THIS!

"I have close friends with health issues living in North Van. I am always totally amazed at how fast they get in to see a doctor or a specialist specialist down there! It's a whole different ball game on the lower mainland when it comes to healthcare"

I suppose it helps that they have more docs and specialists that want to live down there. I don't suppose that could have anything to do with the attractiveness of our good ole Northern towns and what they have to offer to people looking to relocate could it? I wonder if having a healthy and more livable city could help change that? Hmmm.

Here are some of my suggestions:

- Instead of relying on overtime and burned out nurses to run the hospital, maybe hire some people full time.
- Why not bring back the 2 year nursing diploma program as a way to get more people into the nursing profession, instead of requiring the 4 year degree program. The 2 year program worked for decades and now all of a sudden it isn't good enough? I can't help but think that change severely impacted the number of people entering the profession.
- Management at the NHA and the hospitals need to grow a spine and start managing the facilities the way they should be managed, instead of pandering to those docs that feel they should have a say in how the place is managed. Talk to any health care worker and you'll hear loads of stories about the "old boys club" of SOME docs in this town and how it is counterproductive to the effective administration of health care and the ability of the NHA to attract new professionals here. The last time I checked, the docs weren't accountable or expected to run the place, they just have the privilege of providing their services there.
- A full review of administrative spending should be initiated to ensure that only essential staffing is in place in those areas. I refuse to believe that they are as lean as possible and the NHA should ensure that as much money as possible is put towards direct patient care.

Some exellent thoughts NMG!