The Leamington and District Memorial Hospital ended 7 day a week service at its Pelee Island clinic on July 1. Also gone is its 24 hour a day on-call service. The mayor of Pelee Island told the Windsor Star it's "only a matter of time" before someone dies because of recent cuts to urgent health care in the community. People on Pelee Island, whether they are residents or visitors, have the right to the same health care services as everyone else in Ontario." As of July 1, the Pelee Island clinic - now a nursing station - operates only eight hours per day, five days a week, providing primary care, urgent care and home care. It's closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Those hours will remain in effect as part of a 60-day trial period. T o make matters worse, the clinic may be open only one day a week in the off-season, from December until April. The decision to reduce health care services on the island was made in May and based on the community'
Notes from Leftwords -- Doug Allan