Mental health beds being moved to Scarborough
May 03, 2008 - 10:30 PM
Jackson Hayes, Torstar News Services
AJAX -- About 700 concerned Ajax residents marched Saturday to protest service cuts to their local hospital.
Carrying signs and chanting, they gathered at the town hall in response to the Rouge Valley Health System's decision to cut hospital services and transfer 20 acute mental health beds to Scarborough Centenary from the Ajax and Pickering Hospital.
Wendy Holliday of Friends of Ajax said the province's Central East Local Health Integration Network agreed to fund nine additional in-patient mental health beds at the site in February.
But then it quietly backtracked on that decision in March, saying it would transfer all the beds to Centenary.
The Rouge Valley Health System runs both the Ajax-Pickering and Scarborough sites, but critics argue that moving the beds 23 kilometres away would leave Lakeridge Health Oshawa as the only choice for in-patient mental health care in Durham Region.
Friends of Ajax organized yesterday's rally in conjunction with the Ontario Health Coalition to keep the services at the current location.
Also ahead in the next three years is the planned layoff of 220 hospital positions and reductions in the number of beds in the cardiology, surgery and rehabilitation departments.
Greg Hubka, vice-president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, said the cuts are part of the Rouge Valley Health System's way of dealing with its $78 million deficit but they come at the cost of Ajax residents.
"The hospital says it's going to be more efficient with better service but we don't concur," said Mr. Hubka.
OPSEU filed an injunction in Ontario Superior Court at the end of April challenging the decision to axe the in-patient mental health beds.
A ruling is expected on May 16.
This is the second rally held in response to the proposed cuts. Last week, more than 1,100 people gathered to protest the move.
"We're committed to doing everything we can to bring awareness to the government to what our position is and the importance of keeping these services in Durham Region," Mr. Hubka said.
Recommend :
Latest News
Scotiabank robbed in CanningtonCannCANNINGTON -- The Scotiabank at Cameron Street and Laidlaw in Cannington has been closed as police investigate an afternoon robbery. Durham Regional Police were still on ...
Rest of funding to flow to Ajax hospitalDURHAM -- The Ajax-Pickering hospital will hang on to the Regional funding promised for its emergency expansion after council voted against withholding the funds. Before the ...
School officials happy with EQAO resultsDURHAM -- Grade 3 and 6 provincial test results released Wednesday show gains and losses for Durham's public and Catholic school boards. The Durham Catholic and Durham ...
Newcastle woman dies after being struck by carNEWCASTLE -- A woman has died from injuries sustained when she was struck by a car at an intersection in downtown Newcastle Tuesday afternoon. Durham police said the victim, ...
Tuesday a busy night for fire departmentCLARINGTON -- Local firefighters were hopping Tuesday night, responding to an array of calls including a fatal collision involving a pedestrian and two fires. A 65-year-old ...
Council decision censorship: Bill McLeanPICKERING -- Not allowing a concerned resident to speak at the Council meeting Monday was nothing short of censorship, says a Pickering councillor. "I'm concerned why...
Boy saves dad using emergency trainingWHITBY -- When 12-year-old Brennan Potter completed a junior fire department program in July, he never imagined that a month later, he'd be using the skills to save his ...
Retirement option a big hit with GM workersOSHAWA -- The number of local General Motors workers who have opted to retire or take advantage of the grow-into-retirement plan has now exceeded the number of jobs expected ...
Region and union head back to bargaining tableDURHAM -- The union representing Durham's 400 outside workers is a little bit ahead of the game in holding a strike vote, says the Region. "I think the process is ...
One airlifted after north Clarington accidentCLARINGTON -- An early morning accident in north Clarington has led to one person being airlifted to a Toronto hospital. The accident happened at about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday at ...