FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 1, 2006
Confidential report
shows on-going need for Brockville Psychiatric Hospital:
OPSEU
BROCKVILLE – A confidential
report for the Ontario Ministry of Health says the lack of
community services is preventing the discharge of patients
from Brockville Psychiatric Hospital (BPH).
The March 2006 report,
prepared by the Deloitte consulting group, was obtained
under a Freedom of Information request by the Ontario Public
Service Employees Union (OPSEU).
“This report shows that the
closure of BPH is out of the question,” said David
McDougall, president of OPSEU Local 439 which represents
staff at the hospital. “Clearly, there is an ongoing and
urgent need for our beds and programs.”
The Deloitte consultants
examined three years of financial and admissions data and
the mental health programs of four hospitals, including the
Royal Ottawa Health Care Group, which took over provincial
psychiatric facilities. Brockville Psychiatric Hospital was
transferred to the Royal Ottawa in October, 2000.
The report noted that
according to hospital management “the transition of patients
out of the hospital has not been successful within the
community due to lack of resources.” (p. 39)
The report found:
- The Forensic Treatment
Unit, assessing and treating people in conflict with the
law, can’t discharge patients because there are “few
community residences that provide the secure, monitored
environment with the require [sic] 24/7 supervision.”
(p. 41)
- There is a “higher LOS
[length of stay] due to a lack of community resources”
and “significant lack of appropriate housing” for people
with a developmental disability and mental illness. The
hospital created a unit with a “more ‘home like’
environment” as a result. (p. 42)
- The Rehabilitation Unit
has had a 45 per cent reduction in beds from 48 to 26
because of the difficulty in recruiting staff. The unit
can’t find appropriate community programs to discharge
patients to. In particular, “there are a high number of
‘legacy’ patients” from when BPH was a provincial
facility. There is nowhere for these “very complex
patients” to go. (p. 43)
The three other hospitals
reviewed in the Deloitte report are St Joseph’s Health Care,
Hamilton, St. Joseph’s Health Care, London and Providence
Continuing Care Centre in Kingston. The catchment areas of
the four hospitals take in much of southern and eastern
Ontario. Of the 21 mental health programs profiled in the
report, two-thirds had trouble discharging patients due to a
lack of community services.
The Deloitte consulting group
can be viewed at
http://www.opseu.org/bps/health/mental/deloittereport.htm.
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For further information:
David McDougall (613)
349-1049
Megan Park (416) 443-8888 ext. 8207
