Cuts to hospice care for New Westminster symptom of Health Authority's lack of respect for community and nurses
Loss of eight hospice beds at Queen's Park Care Centre and the displacement of specially-trained RNs and LPNs will reduce access to care for some of the most vulnerable people
BC Nurses' Union President Debra McPherson was joined today by Fraser Health Authority (FHA) nurses and New Westminster City Councillor Jaimie McEvoy in an effort to expose the impact of the most recently announced cuts — including the loss of hospice beds — on the community and on the nurses who provide the care.
The special hospice facility at the Queen's Park Care Centre, which provides care to some of our most vulnerable patients and their families, will no longer be close to home for the residents of New Westminster. As a consequence, patients may now need to go to other areas for hospice care, and some elderly relatives may not be able to travel easily to be with their loved ones.
"Yet once again the Fraser Health Authority (FHA) is simply cutting care to meet deficit targets. The continued lack of effective consultation with the community, and with the specially-trained nurses who have dedicated themselves to the care and to the unique site for hospice care at the Queen's Park, is simply disrespectful," said McPherson.
According to McEvoy, "The closure of these hospice beds is a continuation of the cuts to healthcare services in New Westminster which really began with the closing of St. Mary's Hospital. As the Chair of the Seniors Advisory Committee, I'm also really concerned about the increased downloading of costs to citizens. The ongoing ‘de-listing' or renaming of services as ‘core' or ‘non-core' healthcare services is very disturbing. If you need the service then it's a core need relative to your health and well being, but if the government isn't covering the costs anymore, it's simply unavailable unless you have the money."
Liz Ilczaszyn, co-chair of BCNU's Simon Fraser Region and a former employee at Queen's Park said, "I'm disgusted at the way that dozens of our dedicated nursing staff are being treated. They're still reeling from the last round of FHA cuts and the nursing displacements from a few weeks ago. Now the hammer comes down again, with no apparent planning. Is it any wonder that these nurses don't feel valued or that they feel that their deep commitment to their patients and the hospice is of no matter to FHA?"
The union believes that the provincial government needs to step up to the plate and take responsibility for the chaos that is being created by the health authorities deficit-driven healthcare planning.
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