No excuse for LHIN and QHC CEO

I am writing regarding the recently announced proposal to remove eight – (8!) beds from Picton Memorial Hospital. It is my understanding that the reason is to accommodate Belleville patients who do not wish to be hospitalized in Picton. “They prefer to be treated close to their homes!”
Well, guess what? So do we! There is no excuse for the LHIN and the CEO of Quinte Health Care to go back on their word and to break promises made to keep our hospital intact. Shame on all of you.
It is time for Belleville General Hospital to manage its own affairs without pillaging our hospital each time they are short of either dollars or beds (as has happened in the past). Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital is not at Belleville hospital’s disposal.
We are fiercely proud of both our hospital and our medical community and are powerfully invested in maintaining, promoting and expanding Picton hospital. Our commitment is to defend our existing facilities and we will vigorously fight any further raping of our hospital.
Ms. Egberts, the CEO, of QHC was quoted recently as saying “You don’t measure a hospital’s ability through its bed numbers.” If one applies this to Belleville General Hospital, why should they need eight of our beds?
Yours very truly
Lorna C. Kelly