The rally in front of McMaster University to stop Hamilton Health Services from closing the adult emergency services drew mixed reviews from local politicians.

While Mayor Fred Eisenberger stayed away from the Sept. 25 Access to All rally and march at the corner of Dalewood Avenue and Main Street West, Mountain Councillor Terry Whitehead helped organize the event.

"We need full, comprehensive public meetings on this," said Mr. Whitehead. "What I have overwhelmingly heard is people want (HHS) to withdraw their plans and start talking with the community."

Mr. Whitehead has formally requested HHS chief executive officer Murray Martin withdraw the restructuring application from the Local Health Integration Network and start consultations.

The rally was an attempt to raise public awareness about the HHS plan to relocate adult emergency services to Hamilton General Hospital as part of its Access To All restructuring plans.

The plan was introduced to the community in January 2008.

Councillors earlier this month passed a series of motions that included opposing the closure of the adult emergency ward at McMaster University and encouraging the Local Health Integration Network to ask HHS to conduct further meetings with the public.

Mr. Eisenberger is sympathetic to people who are upset about HHS's decision, but he said the plan will not unduly affect health care in the area.

Public consultations

"There should be more public consultations," he agreed. "I understand change is different. But we are not losing anything."

The LHIN is scheduled to discuss the issue at its Sept. 29 board meeting in Grimsby.

Juanita Gledhill, chair of the LHIN, said the organization will examine the transfer of beds from McMaster to St. Joseph's Healthcare, and the creation of an urgent-care centre.

"We would be looking at what consultation was done by the applicant, and how public concerns were addressed by the plan," she said. "If we find there is some public interest that has not been considered, the LHIN can consider whether it wanted to stop the integration."

HHS spokesperson Jeff Valentin said the restructuring plan is complicated, involving multiple sites.

"We've been criticized for a lack of consultation but truthfully we've done a lot of consultation - internal consultation, ministry consultation, before releasing the plan," he said.

Mr. Whitehead, Dundas Councillor Russ Powers, and Ward 1 Councillor Brian McHattie, who also opposes the restructuring plan, say that when HHS officials attended their public meetings, they were simply trying to sell a plan to residents.

"They were not consulting," said Mr. Whitehead. "They came up with a plan, then they told us about it."

Mr. Whitehead has also received e-mails and talked to people in the hospitals opposed to the plan, but are afraid to say anything negative. Those people, he said, are afraid of having their names released to the public for fear of retribution.

"What kind of corporate culture restricts employees from speaking out?," he said.