Editor:
The provincial government’s plan for long-term care (LTC) is long-term bed shortages. The current shortage of LTC beds is not new and isn’t going away. It’s the result of decades of rationed health care by your government. As a medical student decades ago, I cared for sick patients lying on stretchers in Emergency Room hallways: patients awaiting beds that were occupied by LTC patients. The LTC patients, in turn, awaited beds in a more appropriate facility, which was also overflowing.
Fast forward four decades to Sechelt Hospital where sick patients wait on Emergency Room stretchers because an entire floor of our hospital is overflowing with LTC patients. Those LTC patients would receive better care if LTC beds were available for them elsewhere.
The doctors of our community recently wrote a letter to the minister of health asking for help. They didn’t ask for the “Best Care” or the “Outstanding Service” described in the Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) mission statement. They just asked that service be brought up to the average standard that VCH provides for other communities.
In response, Health Minister Terry Lake replied, “The government has given VCH the mandate ... to make decisions... I encourage you to continue communicating with VCH.” The message: Talk to the hand. The face is busy.
So we talked to the hand. VCH’s local director Lauren Tindall replied, “we do agree the ... 20 [bed increase] is not going to be enough.” It’s not surprising she agrees 20 beds aren’t enough: the doctors’ letter had demonstrated the need for 128. Not to achieve “Outstanding Service”... just to catch up to VCH average care!
The government has a long-term policy of under-funding LTC. The ministry does not admit responsibility for this policy: it blames VCH which, by its own admission, is knowingly underfunding LTC.
The minister and the premier wish to hide behind VCH, which is the government’s own bureaucracy! This is an election year. Tell the government we will not tolerate this deceitful neglect.
Tired of talking to the hand? Write to the face.
Bruce Woodburn MD, Sechelt
