Editor:
Re: “Doctors paint bleak picture of impact of bed shortage,” March 10.
What an upsetting picture of our overcrowded hospital and inadequate long-term care capacity the two family care doctors presented to council last week, though not unfamiliar to any of us whose family or friends have had to go there. Even more upsetting is to learn our community is at the bottom of the list of resources doled out by Vancouver Coastal Health. (VCH). But what a surprise it was when the doctors about-faced on their previous position against the inadequate Trellis long-term care proposal and came out in favour of it. They said though we need 140 new long-term care beds “in order to get our hospital back,” 20 new beds are better than none. Better to co-operate with VCH, they said, than “to fight,” obviously banking on better cooperation in the future.
Then came the astounding response from VCH spokesperson Anna Marie D’Angelo. In the best public relations style, she threw the doctors under the bus. What they said, she warned, should be viewed with caution. Apparently they were uniformed. There is no overcrowding problem, she stated – only occasional surges. Only “four people” were waiting for a long-term care bed last week, not the 10 to 15 patients at any one time mentioned by the doctors. A committee monitors the situation and “works with VCH to ease the pressure when needed.” Really?
The best response came from Mayor Milne. He heard the doctor’s “underlying message.” He promised council would do everything possible and appropriate to advocate for equal treatment for our community from VCH. And he also was forceful in saying that council would not allow the failures of VCH to force it into a wrong decision.
Gene Errington,
West Sechelt
