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Hospital cost-prohibitive

I am shocked and appalled by the government’s drastic and misguided decision to reduce residential care beds by 800.

Mr. Gordan Husey recently spoke of his chaotic visit to NRGH emergency. His statement that in the last 10 years the senior population has increased by 43 per cent is valid. I am shocked and appalled by the government’s drastic and misguided decision to reduce residential care beds by 800.

An active treatment hospital for Parksville  is cost prohibitive. Walk-in clinics provide local immediate relief for non-life-threatening needs. This reduces the demands on the hospital emergency unit as well as providing doctors for our many residents who don’t have family doctors.

A small paramedic unit, however, is  essential. It is cost effective and staffing is more readily available. This keeps the patient in his local environment, close to family and friends. Many seniors require rides to visit their loved ones in NRGH.

If you lived in West Vancouver and had to travel to Vancouver General for cancer treatments or other issues; you would find the trip much more traumatic than our easy jaunt to Nanaimo.

Pat Nease

Parksville