Will Health Minister Deb Matthews end the overcrowding? Small steps in Cornwall.

It looks like we are making some progress in the Cornwall area – according to a local media report, the LHIN has tentatively agreed to contribute half the costs for 20 interim LTC beds at Cornwall Community Hospital.

Previously, the LHIN CEO had called the proposal for 20 beds at the Cornwall hospital a "knee jerk reaction." A Cornwall hospital official now says "The Champlain LHIN is showing its commitment to the Cornwall Community Hospital." The hospital hopes to have the interim long term care beds up and running at least on a temporary basis in the fall.

St. Joseph's Continuing Care (which provides Complex Continuing Care and LTC) in Cornwall is also getting 8 LHIN funded beds. (Despite media reports that the LHIN will add six beds at Glengarry Memorial Hospital, a local source indicates that complex continuing care beds are being changed to stroke beds, with a very modest staffing increase.)

All of this is to deal with the overcrowding at the Cornwall Community Hospital which caused a spate of cancelled surgeries in May and June.

The Health Minister, Deb Matthews, recognized the need for more 'restorative beds' a little while back. Sudbury Regional Hospital made some significant progress dealing with their overcrowding by opening restorative beds in unused hospital space earlier this year. Now, the idea has come to Cornwall.

If we could only get this model adopted in other areas, our hospitals might be in better shape. With the thousands of hospital bed cuts over the last twenty years, there is capacity.

dallan@cupe.ca

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