70 mental health hospital beds to close

Mental health hospitals in London and St. Thomas are losing 146 beds, with 76 going to hospitals in other cities and 70 being closed over three years.

"In parallel to the reduction of beds there will need to be investment in the community to increase community capacity to provide care," regional health officials wrote.

The LHIN CEO says the Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) won't close beds unless sufficient community supports are in place.

But the go-ahead from the South West LHIN came even though people with severe and persistent mental illness are already on waiting lists for care in the community.

"More and more of our ill family members will be on the street, in jail or in the cemetery," one local citizen wrote when asked for feedback about the closures.

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