By Joel van der Veen
CRAIK — “Do The Right Thing.” “Let Doctors Be Doctors.” “Dollars and Common Sense.”
The signs were loud and clear. So were the people holding them.
March 2 marks one year since a busload of residents from Craik and district went down to the Leg to raise a little hell.
They came armed with bullhorns, plastic signs and just a hint of piss and vinegar, determined to draw attention to what they saw as the erosion of their health care, and one more service being snatched away from a small town.
The rally drew the attention of media from across the province, as well as both Premier Brad Wall and Opposition Leader Cam Broten, who debated rural health care that day during Question Period.
Just shy of 12 months later, Craik has a new doctor working out of its health centre nine days out of 10, along with a part-time nurse practitioner.
Health services in Craik are at the same level — roughly, if not exactly — as they have been for the past four years. Dialogue between the town, the rural municipality and health regions is ongoing.
Has the situation improved since this time last year? All parties seem to agree that it has.
How much room for improvement remains? It depends on who you ask.
But while the situation in Craik is no longer at a boiling point, clearly there’s still some simmering going on.
Local voices
Hilton Spencer, who has served as reeve of the Rural Municipality of Craik since 1989, said the district has fought hard to preserve its existing services.
“We’re not going to give up,” he said, accusing health region administrators of working to centralize health care. “They are still pushing that mandate.”
Spencer gave much of the credit to the community itself for standing firm: “Had we done nothing, we wouldn’t even have a doctor.”
That seemed like a distinct possibility a year ago, as Dr. Elie Karam’s contract with Five Hills Health Region expired in January 2015.
Craik was then being served by locum doctors. Residents were concerned that the town would soon find itself without a doctor permanently.
Community leaders and volunteers formed a task force to protest this and other changes. A rally at the health centre on Feb. 27 was followed by the visit to Regina in March.
The task force has since been replaced by a formal, six-member committee, chaired by town councillor David Ashdown and with representation from both the town and RM.
Dr. Arowolo began practising in Craik last fall, and Ashdown said he and others are pleased with the care she’s providing.
However, Ashdown added, there remain some concerns about Craik’s other health services, as well as a fundamental lack of trust on the part of local residents.
“There is still, in the community, a high level of suspicion and mistrust for the health region,” he said, “and particularly the upper-level bureaucrats and administrators.”
Spencer expressed similar concerns, saying on behalf of local residents, “We’re still quite nervous.”
Signs of progress
Rural and remote health minister Greg Ottenbreit said he has had regular updates from the health regions on efforts to stabilize Craik’s services.
Compared to this time last year, he said, phone calls, emails and letters to his office regarding Craik have dropped substantially.
He acknowledged that not all residents are satisfied with the current state of affairs, saying, “For some members of the community, it may take some time to rebuild that trust, from their point of view.”
However, he said the level of service in the Craik-Davidson corridor has been stabilized and improved with the three-doctor team now in place.
Data provided by the ministry indicates that the area is now seeing “more consistent and stable emergency services.”
According to a year-over-year comparison, the district has seen only one service disruption in a three-month period, compared with more than 40 in the same timeframe previously.
“We believe that the service is a lot more stable,” said Ottenbreit. “I’m very happy with where things are right now.”
Terry Hutchinson, vice-president of community health services for Five Hills Health Region, said he is “very pleased” with the progress that has been made.
The latest meetings were held between the region and the community in October and December. Hutchinson said the region wants to keep talking about sustainable health services.
However, he added, mutual respect will be a necessity going forward: “Building trust is a two-way street.”
For the full story — including discussion of emergency services, and the part rural health care will play in the upcoming provincial election — please see the Feb. 22 edition of The Davidson Leader.