North Okanagan residents are being urged to lend their voice to calls for improved health care. About 150 people rallied for more acute care beds
at Vernon Jubilee Hospital Monday, but participants admit the lobbying
effort must expand. “The word has to get out to the rest of the
population on the need for this facility,” said Coldstream Mayor Jim
Garlick of completing two shelled-in floors in the new patient care
tower for acute care beds. “The provincial government has said they want to hear from the people. We need to pull together as a region to get this done.” VJH is funded for 148 acute care beds but on
average, there are 164 patients daily. That has led to patients in the
hallways and surgeries being cancelled. “We need to have those two floors finished
because the need is not slowing down,” said Vernon Mayor Wayne Lippert,
who also spoke at the rally. “With the support of the community, we’ll be able to have those two floors completed.” Among those speaking was former Okanagan-Shuswap
MP Darrel Stinson, who has been in hospital several times since first
being diagnosed with cancer in 2005. “Where I was trying to walk, I bumped into their beds (in the halls),” he said. “The embarrassment they felt as they covered up.
One man said to me, ‘Try and use a bed pan when someone bumps into your
bed.’” They paid their taxes and they had no idea that when they went to
the hospital, they’d wind up in the hallway.” Stinson is concerned conditions will force
doctors and nurses to leave VJH and costs for completing the floors will
increase if not addressed now. “Don’t be afraid to write letters to the editor or to come out to rallies,” he told the crowd. “Don’t buy into compromises. One floor is not adequate, we need them both.” The Interior Health Authority states it could
cost $10 million to develop each of the shelled-in floors, and then $10
million each annually to operate the floors. “It’s not the money, we have the money. It’s a
priority issue,” said Jim Hart, master of ceremonies and former
Okanagan-Coquihalla MP. Hart equated the new patient care tower to constructing a home without bedrooms. “We have beautiful bricks and mortar and high technology but two floors remain sealed off and empty,” he said. A petition demanding that the government complete the two floors has collected 6,000 names. “This is an issue important to the dignity of health care,” said Dr. Chris Cunningham, a member of the VJH medical staff. The rally was organized by resident Peter Hill
and he is hoping the government will announce funds for the two floors
when the tower opens Sept. 25. “We will be in contact with the government. A lot goes on behind the scenes,” said Hill of lobbying efforts.
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Don Quixote Note: The advertising costs for this Rally totaled $1680 and the donation box/collection plate at the rally raised $656.96. Mr. Peter Hill and his small group have organized these rallies and up-fronted the costs. They are still about $1000 short. If you wish to make a small donation to this cause (any extra money raised will be donated to the Hospital Foundation) it will be appreciated.
These rallies are a part of keeping pressure on the Government to open those 2 shelled in floors and as Mayor Garlick and former M.P. Stinson said "Keep those e-mails going to the local MLA, Health Minister and Premier, keep writing those letters to the Editor, keep attending rallies of this kind and demand immediate decisions on this important Community and area need.
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