Community Members Unite to Protest Proposed Cutbacks at Ajax-Pickering, April 2, 2008

Most Vulnerable ' Victims' of Hospital Cutbacks

"The Friends are very much alarmed by the plan to transfer mental health services at Ajax Pickering to Centenary", Bill Parish, co-chair, wrote in a recent letter to East Central LHIN chair Foster Loucks.

"The proposed plan will make it difficult if not impossible for the people of Ajax, Pickering and Whitby to access a full range of core Mental Health Services locally", the letter states.

"Mental Health is a basic local core community hospital service. This plan ... is as bad as the attempted plan to move obstetrics to Centenary. This time the victims are the mentally ill," Parish writes. 

Quoting the LHIN Integrated Health Services Plan, the letter points out that 18% of local residents access mental health services. The Central East body has stated that providing them is "a top priority".

The Rouge Valley Health System promised in 2007 that Mental Health Services at Ajax Pickering would be expanded.

The letter also states that the reduction of nursing staff will make it impossible to deliver the existing and future needed services to the expanding communities of West Durham.

The Friends also feel that the community has not been consulted prior to the slashing of services as required by legislation and LHIN policies.

See the full letter here.

The Board of the Central East LHIN told the RVHS to hold consultations on the proposed elimination of Mental Health Service beds at Ajax Pickering Hospital at its Friday, March 28 meeting.

Thwarting RVHS's plans for a quick move of services, the LHIN ordered a 30 day period of discussions with the public and community stakeholders.

Whether or not this thirty day consultation period will keep present and expanded Mental Health Services at the Ajax Pickering Hospital will depend on the work of all stakeholders, and the people of Ajax, Pickering and Whitby.

Reacting to the news, co-chair Bill Parish stated  "The people of Ajax, Pickering and Whitby must stop the continuing attempts by the RVHS Board to transfer needed health services in Ajax, Pickering and Whitby to Centenary in Scarborough.  Scarborough has three hospitals. It's up to the people".

The Friends expressed their appreciation to the Central East LHIN providing the stakeholders and the general public with a chance to be heard.

The LHIN resolution read  "That the Board (of the Central East LHIN) requires the RVHS to work with the LHIN prior to the implementation of the planned consolidation of Mental Health Services, in conducting a thirty day consultation period with the community stakeholders, and the general public."