The last type is a "Secondary" hospital. The Huron-Perth Committee suggested there be one secondary hospital in Stratford. Patients will get all the care and services as the other two types of Hospitals, but there will also be special programs like rehabilitation, pediatrics, and special surgery.

The District Health Council in Grey-Bruce planned to announce its recommendations this week. A special committee has been working with communities for over a year in the south end of Grey-Bruce looking at ways to cut costs for hospitals in Chesley, Kincardine, Walkerton, Hanover and Durham.

There has been talk of joining these hospitals as well so there will be one manager and
board of directors. However, Hanover
hospital has not been meeting regularly with the other hospitals and decided to submit its own report to the health council.

Despite strong support in the area, there are rumors that Hospitals in Walkerton, Wiarton and Chesley will close. Even in Huron-Perth where it is being suggested to keep all hospitals open, people are worried about the level of health care they will be able to get. There are concerns there won't be enough beds in the community-hospitals; that the distance to a secondary hospital will be too far, especially in bad weather and if roads are closed; and that doctors will leave the area because there won't be enough work for them.

There is even a chance the provincial committee will turn down all the ideas from the health councils and that it will demand more cuts be made. The provincial committee is led by a man named Duncan Sinclair. His committee has the right to change any and all hospitals in the province. His committee will be visiting areas of the province in the coming months to talk to people in the communities. It is guessed that by next fall his committee will be ready to tell the people of Ontario what their health care system will look like.