Region rallies over hospital

http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/ Aug 27 2006 EDITORIAL
Hopefully the Ministry of Health and the Interior Health Authority are paying attention and fully realize there is a growing sense of concern about conditions at Vernon Jubilee Hospital. Lake Country council added its voice to the issue Thursday, joining Coldstream, Vernon, Lumby, Armstrong and Enderby councils. While the name may say Vernon, the hospital is a lifeline for thousands of residents within this vast region. The perception is that while physicians, nurses and support staff do their best, resources are stretched to the extreme. "There's concern about overcrowding and that the hospital is falling apart," said Noreen Guenther, Lake Country councillor. IHA and the ministry claim they are taking action but it doesn't seem to be enough. Planning is under way for a new tower that would house the emergency department and other services. But other key activities would remain in the existing hospital, which is aging and limited in terms of upgrades. IHA claims the tower is just the first step towards replacing the hospital, and we would hope so. However, if bureaucracy has shown us anything, phase ones of projects often become the final phase. We, as a region, need assurances that the tower isn't just a Band-Aid and that a long-term solution will occur. And that solution better take into account the growing population base, and especially the large presence of seniors. Why build a tower with a 25-year lifespan when you know it will likely be used for 40 or 50? A unified voice is gaining strength in the North Okanagan and it's time IHA and the Ministry of Health started listening.