Dear editor,

Re: Hospital board ponders relationship with Island Health (April 14 Record).

How disappointing to read that the Comox Strathcona Regional Hospital District had to actually vote on a motion 鈥渢hat would have representatives meet with Island Heath two or three times a year to advocate for regional interests, and work towards building a working relationship.鈥�

They had to actually vote on a motion to 鈥渆stablish two-way communication to inform the public and Island Health, and to address issues concerning health care outside the traditional mandate.鈥� Lord! This begs the questions - how many times have they met in the past? Do they meet at all? Don鈥檛 they already have a working relationship? Don鈥檛 they already have two-way communication? Yikes.

Would one not expect the players who are dealing our health care cards to be meeting at least once a month? While this certainly explains the situation of either group being completely unable to deal with the over-capacity problems we have experienced for over 20 years in the Comox Valley, I guess we should be grateful that they finally have some strategy in mind.

But if they are only now considering establishing communication, it is frightening to think what our future health care will look like in the Comox Valley.

Barbara Mellin,

Comox