Healthcare and Wellness Coalition

January Newsletter 2021 is starting out with good news.

Ashcroft Healthcare Area Planning table approved that the Interior Rural CSC Expression of Interest to the Ministry of Health to begin PCN planning should be submitted. HAWC in discussions with Interior Health, and Jackie Tegart MLA, have agreed that the planning of our Healthcare Model be fast tracked. Community input will be gathered starting around May/June of this year. We look forward to working with Interior Health to assist in community consultation. We are looking forward to a 7 day per week Healthcare Model discussion. ________________________________________

And finally, remember this? October 2019 Interior Health came to town for a meeting. The petition did get their attention. BUT they did not want an open forum, no appetite for consultation, collaboration, discussion. We delivered 165 signed cards to them, see below, the support we once again received by our communities. By the way, they NEVER answered the questions submitted to them from that meeting. So we dusted ourselves off, picked ourselves back up and set up more meetings to advocate for Ashcroft Health Care. Almost ready for the good news. Link is here if you haven't seen this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5Da9pVsvqY

Thanks to the community support with the petition, and the assistance of our MLA Jackie Tegart taking it to the legislature, we earned a seat at the Ashcroft Health Care Planning Table. Recognized by Interior Health as a voice of Healthcare Advocates for our communities. At the beginning it felt like a very hostile environment. It has become much better as certain players left the table. We also received a surprise visit from Minister of Health Adrian Dix for a photo op. Remember this? He didn't tell us or the MLA he was coming, but took a photo to prove it. But we didn't stop or give up!

In order to understand what has been accomplished, we need to refresh our memories. Summer 2019 the Petition. More than 2,000 signatures supporting the stabilization of the deterioration of our emergency services. Stay Tuned - news is coming.

We are getting prepared to share some great news about improvements to healthcare in our community. Stay tuned!We are getting prepared to share some great news about improvements to healthcare in our community. Stay tuned!