26 FOCUS - OCTOBER 2018 RE-ELECT Carolyn Morton ✓ Durham District School Board Trustee 905-986-5215 carolyn.morton@sympatico.ca HILDREN ATTER students spend a significant part of their second year of medical studies at the Port Perry facility. The University of Toronto has the largest Anesthesia program in Canada and Port Perry also plays a part in that program. Once the soot of the fire had set- tled, engineers and technicians issued their report and Lakeridge Health, led by President Matt Anderson, made the decision not only to repair the damages, but also to use the op- portunity to update the facility. This was estimated to take many months. Officials from The Ministry of Health, Lakeridge Health and Med- ical Associates of Port Perry (MAPP) immediately began conferencing and holding meetings to decide the best way to continue to provide complete health care to those who would normally use the Port Perry Hospital, while it was being revamped. Steve Gray, the CEO of MAPP commented, “From the Ministry on down, and particularly the Lakeridge Health, everyone was engaged, en- thusiastic and willing to explore all possibilities.” Matt Anderson began a campaign to keep the public informed by pro- viding regular updates in the press and through social media. A decision was made to support the community’s health needs by maintaining as much of the service of the hospital as possible while the facility was being rebuilt, but at a different site. In addition, the officials saw the need to keep the Port Perry teams of health care providers intact as much as possible. Many provisions had to be arranged and two major projects were simultane- ously initiated: one in Oshawa and the other in Port Perry. In Oshawa, a space was provided for one team to fill the surgery needs that had been destroyed by the Port Perry fire. Accommodation for a com- plete operating facility was created in the Oshawa General Hospital. The entire Port Perry surgery team, recep- tionists, nurses and surgeons relocated in the facility. In addition, Bowmanville Hospital made ten beds available for patients normally destined for Port Perry and the Uxbridge Hospital was made ready to accommodate a significant increase in demands. In Port Perry, the MAPP team sprang into action to provide extend- ed urgent health care, led by Dr. Matt Schurter, chair of the Board, CEO Steve Gray, and Judith Sanders, Oper- ations Manager and Becky Wray who looked after Extended Health care hours. The existing Walk-in Clinic was not big enough to handle the increased demands expected. A suite that had accommodated four doctors was com- mandeered and the doctors relocated elsewhere in the building. On one weekend, the suite was completely remodelled, including the removal of some walls, and by Monday the Urgent care facility was opened to serve the community. Steve Gray commented, “In order to serve this facility from 9 a.m to 9 p.m. each day, reorganized schedules were developed for physicians, nurses, imaging staff, receptionists, adminis- tration, and maintenance personnel. This included organizing the extend- ed services for after-hours x-rays and ECGs, and treatment for suturing and lacerations.” All these services required addi- Port Perry Hospital (continued from page 25) Bryce Witruk wasn’t waiting around. His mom Nicole delivered him in the ambulance in the parking lot at Port Perry Hospital. Nichole Davies holds her son Harris. Nichole had gone into labour and was rushed by ambulance to Oshawa on the day of the fire.