Toronto - A recent report shows the former Tory government closed almost 20 per cent of psychiatric hospital beds, says the Ontario Public Service Employees Union. OPSEU is asking the Liberal government to put a moratorium on bed closures until a comprehensive review can be done.
There were 2,401 beds in Ontario psychiatric hospitals in 2000/01, according to a recent report by the chairs of nine regional mental health task forces, down from 2,900 beds in 1995/96.
“The Tories closed at least 500 hospital beds, or almost 20 percent of the beds since 1995, and downloaded the problem to communities,” said OPSEU First Vice-President Warren (Smokey) Thomas. “We don’t want to see the Liberal government make the same tragic mistake.”
“We’re calling on Health Minister George Smitherman to stop the closures and restructuring and review the damage already done.”
Thomas said that if more recent figures were released, the bed cuts could be even higher. He said that London and North Bay Psychiatric Hospitals have not admitted patients to more than 300 of their beds for the past year.
Recent events have highlighted the crisis in mental health services:
· At least 130 people in London were discharged from a psychiatric ward to no fixed address in 2002, according to a London city council report released Dec. 2003.
· In the same report, the London Police Service calculates that deinstitutionalization has cost the municipality between $1.5 and $3.7 million in policing costs.
· On Dec. 5, municipal leaders in London, including the police chief, said community agencies are overwhelmed by requests for their services and called for immediate action on mental health.
· On Nov. 5, psychiatric patient James O’Brien, 59, died at Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre after being turned away from Royal Ottawa Hospital because of lack of beds.
· On Dec. 21, psychiatric patient John Bolger, 54, jumped to the ground from a third-floor window at Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital, in Orillia. He died later that day in hospital. Newspaper reports pointed out that rooms in the psychiatric hospital in Penetanguishene have wire mesh screens to prevent such a tragedy.
Click here to view speaking notes from February 4 press conference.
