Rest home spat continues

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 668, 23 December 1996, Page 1

Rest home spat continues

Central Regional Health Authority (CRH A) chief executi ve Phil Edgington has hit back at criticism from Waimarino Rest Home Trust Board (WRHTB) chairman Bob Peck, saying the comments are "unjust and unfounded". But Mr Peck says Mr Edgington has missed the point and that at issue was the CRHA's very poor communication with the trust. "The criticisms of Messrs Bauer and Peck that CRHA board member Michael Sewell and some members of my staff have not honoured promises made to the Waimarino community are both unjust and unfounded," Mr Edgington wrote in a letter to the editor. "At no time has CRHA told the WRHTB that funding would be directly available to them to conduct a feasibility study. CRHA does not specifically fund feasibility studies nor do we provide' capital funding to build rest homes," he said. Mr Edgington said the CRHA's promise was to support the trust' s

application to the Transitional Assistance Fund administered by the Ministry of Health. He said it was regrettable that this application failed, but that CRHA had carried through with that promise. Mr Peck last week repeated his complaint that at issue was the Jack of communication from CRHA. "To date we have had no response to this application," he said. Earlier, he said the trust had lodged the application four times and was yet to receive any correspondence from the RHA. "Mr Edgington, your RHA representatives declared publicly at the largest meeting e ver held in the W aimarino that there was money available for the erection of facilities as a rest home for the aged. When they were questioned on that astounding assertion, they responded, 'yes',"he said. He said at issue was not the origin of study funds, "but rather, an issue of courtesy of your staff to respond, by fax, phone or letter to the trust regarding the outcome of the application."