AJAX -- Chris Andersen was blunt in his criticism of hospital cutbacks that include plans to move mental health beds out of the town's hospital. Holding a public meeting after a decision has been made is not consultation, Mr. Andersen said.
The Ajax man was among nearly 1,000 people who packed a public meeting at the Ajax Community Centre Thursday night regarding the Rouge Valley Health System plan to move 20 mental health beds from its Ajax and Pickering hospital to Centenary hospital in Scarborough.
Mr. Andersen, along with many others who spoke at the microphone, said having the mental health unit close to home is important. Mr. Andersen added that the fact there is a community hospital with core health services was part of the reason he moved to Ajax in the first place.
"We are a community," he said. "Ajax-Pickering is a community. Scarborough is not our community."
In late March, the Central East Local Health Integration Network -- an advisory body that oversees health services -- approved a plan by the Rouge Valley Health System to cut costs, which includes the elimination of up to 220 jobs and the consolidation of the mental health unit at Centenary hospital.
The hospital still plans to maintain its outpatient services and to also increase crisis hours to 16 hours a day, seven days a week, from 12 hours a day on weekdays and eight hours a day on weekends.
Mr. Anderson asked if the decision has already been made. Deborah Hammons, the CEO of the local health integration network, explained that the plan was approved, and James Meloche, senior director of planning, integration and community engagement, later added the reason for the meeting was to determine the community's needs, how to improve services and ease issues such as transportation concerns.
Wendy Lawson, who's been a mental health inpatient at the hospital, said she's seen someone snap and tear the wiring off the ceiling in the ward and said she couldn't imagine if that person had to be transported to Centenary.
"When you snap, you snap, and there is no time," she said.
Dr. Steve Fishman, chief of psychiatry, explained in an interview after the meeting that senior management, more specifically the Rouge Valley Health System president and CEO, Rik Ganderton, are "picking up the pieces in a very difficult situation."
RVHS is faced with long term debt and capital deficiencies that total $78-million and moving mental health beds and cutting jobs are part of a plan to improve efficiency and ease financial pressures.
"You can't have growth on a rotten foundation," Dr. Fishman said. "If you can fix the foundation then you can grow."
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