The newly formed Ashcroft Health Services Area Planning Table is hoping to find solutions to short, medium and long term concerns in the area.

Ashcroft Mayor Barbara Roden says the group hopes to discuss a variety of issues facing the area, including a service decline at the Ashcroft hospital, which is the top priority.

“I’m hoping that we can find solutions together and I think we are stronger together,” she said.

Interior Health will be at the table at the group’s next meeting to speak about their plans moving forward.

“There are a lot of people sitting around that table with a lot of knowledge, and I think the more people that we can get with that knowledge and share it with others, to keep this at the top of the list for Interior Health to make sure that they know the level of concern in the community and the frustration that’s out there so that we can hopefully make some progress,” Roden added.

The group also has members from Clinton, Spences Bridge, Cache Creek and local First Nations, all of which are impacted by various issues.

“We’re hoping to take a broad view of all the challenges that we are facing so obviously doctor recruitment is going to be high on the list, recruitment of lab technicians and X-Ray staff etc, so it’s not just the one thing unfortunately there are a number of things, and I think by focusing on one thing at a time, we are more likely to get something done that if we try and tackle everything at once,” noted Roden.

She believes they will be successful in letting people know that steps are being taken to find solutions to the various issues in the area.