Having Their Say on Hospital Cuts

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They need beds in Scarborough officials said they would have preferred arrested, and requires two officers to go direct access to the mental health floor, being consulted ahead of time since a along. would be considered number of people have been calling with They also showed concern with the far ✦ See Psychiatry, Page 2 ‘prisoner escort’: police By Kristen Calis [email protected] THE BLANKET IS THEIR CLASSROOM AJAX — Comments collected from the public regarding the movement of mental health beds will not go to waste, says the Central East Local Health Integration Network’s communications lead. “It’s all important,” Katie Cronin-Wood said. “It’s all being rolled up into the plan.” The Rouge Valley Health System and the CE LHIN have been consulting the public and stakeholders, such as the police and emergency medical service providers, over the past couple of weeks regarding the mental health unit at Rouge Valley Ajax and Pickering hospital. The CE LHIN approved RVHS’s plan to cut up to 220 jobs and move the mental health in-patient unit from Ajax to Scarborough’s Centenary hospital in late March and invoked a consultation period from April 4 to May 4. RVHS has learned from a peer review report it has to better manage its money since it has $78-million in long-term debt and capital deficiencies. Consolidating the mental health unit is projected to save $600,000 each year. Durham Regional Police and EMS providers, union representatives, physicians, community-based providers, consumers and families and other hospital mental AJ Groen/ News Advertiser photo PICKERING — Textile designer Susan Emanuel, centre, helped the children in Gudrun Christian’s kindergarten class make a blanket that health providers were invited to the stake- taught the kids the letters and their order. The blanket will hang in the classroom at Frenchman’s Bay Public School. holder consultation. At the meeting, each group met to an- swer questions from the CE LHIN and To all our customers and friends … Come in and join us! ~ Extensive Menu ~ Steaks, Seafood, Pastas, Serving the best in food quality in a Hwy 401 Fresh Fruit, and Much More pleasant & comfortable atmosphere. Station St. Achillies Rd. We strive to be your first choice restaurant. Join us for breakfast, lunch & dinner Salem Rd. Westney Rd. Westney Mon. to Sat. 7am - 9pm (Harwood Ave. & Station St.) 40 Station Street 905-428-3240 Harwood Ave. Sun. & Holidays 8am - 3pm P PAGE 2 THE NEWS ADVERTISER, April 20, 2008 durhamregion.com Psychiatry chief says complex patients’ needs will be addressed ✦ Psychiatry from page 1 said. The CE LHIN and the RVHS gathered the following information from their stakeholder meeting: Others, such as Cadence Grace, didn’t not just the emergency room. understand why beds were being taken • The consumer and family group found: access must be multi-faceted; the public must be Physicians found the process was flawed, away when a sign outside of the hospital educated on mental health and the help that’s available; and, dialogue and addressing travel and said RVAP psychiatrists should have recently noted new mental health beds plans must be expanded. been consulted ahead of time. The group would be added to RVAP. found co-ordination between the two sites Ms. Grace feels high-quality care is • Union representatives found: open communication with patients and families, improving and quick responses at both sites are most needed at both sites. the consultation process, and education on mental health are some key issues. important. Ms. Cronin-Wood explained all in- At the public meeting, not one person formation from the meetings, as well as • Other mental health providers felt: client sensitivity and reassurance that the proper stood up and said they supported the phone calls and e-mails, will be included service is being provided is needed. move. Many were afraid of not having the in a report that will go back to both the • Community-based providers felt key issues were: enhancing community partnerships; same care at Centenary as they would at RVHS board of directors and the CE LHIN clarity on admission and transportation planning; and, education with families and community RVAP. board of directors in order to decide how agencies. Chief of psychiatry Dr. Steve Fishman to best implement the plan. said there will still be 66 beds in the sys- She said she hopes people continue to The following are some of the issues raised at the public meeting: tem, and access will still be through the provide their comments throughout the emergency room at both hospitals. He consultation process. • Durham’s population is only growing; why take the mental health unit out now? said the medical psychiatric unit will help All of the findings can be found at www. address the needs of complex patients centraleastlhin.on.ca, by clicking on the • The public should have been consulted before the decision to implement the plan. that aren’t currently addressed. resource documents button and then “By being able to provide this service we community engagement. • Family and friends will have difficulty visiting due to finances and the inconsistency of can meet the care needs and move people Ways to give input can also be found on Toronto and Durham’s transit systems. through the emergency room faster,” he the site. GREAT WALL GRAND CHINESE SUPER BUFFET Chinese • Japanese • Canadian OPENING ALL YOU CAN EAT Great FoodFood at GreatGreat Prices! Prices! Senior Citizen over 60 years old 15% off Carry Out Buffet and Menu Available 1099 KINGSTON RD. PICKERING (905) 839-8833 Crab Legs, Cold Shrimp, Ribeye Steak, Smoked Salmon, Mongolian Grill, Sushi, Desserts and OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK Ice Cream and much more. Mon.-Thurs.: 11:00am-10:00pm Fri. & Sat.: 11:00am-10:30pm Lunch $8.99 Adult $11.99 (Sat. & Sun.) 11am-4pm Sun. & Holiday: 11:00am-10:00pm Dinner $14.99 Adult (Mon.-Thurs.) ($17.99 Fri. Sat. & Sun.) 4pm-10:30pm WE ACCEPT: s r r TM Do you want to see all your favourite flyers anytime, anywhere? Look for these great sponsors: Save time, save money. durhamregion.com THE NEWS ADVERTISER, April 20, 2008 PAGE 3 A/P Pickering students hear from bereaved father Job safety the workplace. Similar sold his own business and ple questions before you was offered a well-paying she asked if anyone had presentations were tak- now devotes his time to accept a job. ‘Has there job in a large company. reported their injuries. is number one ing place at more than 100 touring high schools, uni- been turnover here? If She asked the employer if Ms. Kulin said four other schools around the versities, and businesses so, why? Am I replacing he offered orientation and teams from OPG partici- By Josie Newman province. across North America to someone who’s been there training to new employ- pate every year in the Our [email protected] Dave Ellis, 18, was seri- speak to them about the a long time?’ The most im- ees. He told her he didn’t, Youth at Work presenta- ously injured on his sec- necessity of workplace portant thing to ask is, ‘Do then offered her a position tion, which began in On- DURHAM — Rob Ellis ond day on the job when safety. you let new employees do implementing those pro- tario schools in 2005. She still remembers the Feb- a power surge pulled him Marissa, Dave’s sister, orientation and training?’ grams for the entire com- said that in 2007, a male ruary morning in 1999 face first into an industrial described her older broth- Orientation means asking pany. student who saw the pre- when his wife called him mixer. er as her best friend who where all potentially un- Barb Keenan, vice-pres- sentation told her he was at his business and told He lay in the hospital took care of her, while his safe places are, while your ident of human resources afraid to go to work be- him their son Dave was in with life-threatening inju- father described him as a training should include at OPG, told students that cause he was left alone at the hospital. ries for six days before he straight A student about to linking up in a buddy sys- 47,000 students -- 45 per night. The boy’s principal “What would you do if had unsuccessful surgery enter university who loved tem. The first 30 days are day -- are injured on the later called his employer. you had to look in a room and died.

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