"I feel these beds are really important," she said.
Brittanni was one of about 40 people who attended a Wednesday afternoon "Gathering of strong voices" at the Rouge Valley Ajax and Pickering hospital, the second one of the day. The gathering challenged the Rouge Valley Health System's plans to cut up to 220 positions between RVAP and Centenary in Scarborough, and move the mental health inpatient unit to Centenary. This is mostly because mental health units must be staffed by a minimum of two people at all times, says RVHS. The Ajax site currently has two small mental health units, and amalgamating the units into one will help RVHS ease its poor financial situation. It currently has a long-term debt and capital deficiency of $78 million.
But, residents at the gathering thought it's not worth the loss of beds in Ajax.
"I know a lot of people who need these beds," Brittanni said, who was there with her mom, adding those people need to be close to their families.
Chief of psychiatry Dr. Steve Fishman said there will be no cut in services, and while amalgamating the unit may cause some inconveniences for travel, he said the move will improve the quality of service by pooling expertise. Also, outpatient services will be increased at RVAP by extending crisis hours from 12 to 16 per day. A press release stated only 77 per cent of all 66 mental health beds at the two sites were used in 2006-2007.
He said at Centenary, patients will be transferred to the 15-bed medical/psychiatry unit set to go in at the hospital. Two beds will stay in Ajax for emergency mental health situations.
"This is clearly a difficult decision, but clinically, I think we're providing an excellent service for our community," Dr. Fishman said.
Registered nurse Carlo Perusin works in RVAP's mental health unit and thinks the community needs the inpatient service to stay in Ajax.
"Our vested interest is related to the client, their family and their welfare," he said.
He explained one in five Canadians has mental health issues and said the whole multi-disciplinary team in Ajax works well to support west Durham's constantly-growing population.
"It's a well-oiled machine and we'd like to keep it that way," he said.
Protest organizer Wendy Holliday said the loss of the mental health beds affects people in Ajax, Pickering and Whitby and "mental health needs are growing because the community's growing."
She said if patients have to travel to Scarborough, they'll be assisted by a nurse if it's necessary.
"How is that cutting costs?" she said.
Ms. Holliday also fears "Scarborough is not going to hold Durham beds open."
But, Dr. Fishman said no matter if they're from Durham or Scarborough, mental health patients will be placed in beds based on need, which will be determined by the crisis team. He also said turning patients away won't happen.
"That would just be ludicrous," he said.
Paul Taylor, who helped keep mental health services at Lakeridge Health in Oshawa, is a mental health patient in Oshawa who joined the gathering because he's sensitive to the needs of those services in Durham.
"Mental health (services) have to be local because so many people suffer from it," he said. He added he believes the travel time to Scarborough will pose a problem, especially to those without a car, since Durham Region buses stay in Durham.
Mr. Taylor passed around a petition and said getting around 1,000 signatures would be most effective.
