LOCAL NEWS

City to Fight for Beds



Posted By GORD YOUNG THE NUGGET

City politicians will fight to keep 31 specialized-care beds in North Bay when the Northeast Mental Health Centre moves into the new hospital.
There is no reason why these jobs have to be moved," Coun. Dave Mendicino said Monday, referring to an estimated 62 health-care positions associated with the beds that may be moved to Sault Ste. Marie or Sudbury. There's no reason why we can't come up with a community-based solution."

The future of the 31 beds has been up in the air since 1999 when a provincially appointed health-restructuring commission recommended they be transferred to Sudbury.

The recommendation was met with much opposition in North Bay, particularly by the North Bay and District Chamber of Commerce, which campaigned in 2004 to keep the beds.

The chamber, however, backed away from the fight due to concerns the battle could delay or jeapardize the construction of the North Bay Regional Health Centre, which was awaiting provincial approval at the time.

Many believed the beds had been lost. But a second report prepared by Ken White, former president and CEO of Trillium Health Centre, came out in 2005, recommending the beds remain in the city.

The problem, however, is the physical space to accommodate the 31 beds was never incorporated into the design of the new North Bay Regional Health Centre. And now officials are trying to figure out where to locate the beds.

A task force is expected to report back to a regional advisory committee by the end of March, with a recommendation to be brought forward to the North East Local Health Integration Network, which has final say over where the beds will be located.

The options include keeping the beds in North Bay, possibly at a long-term care facility or other such agency; moving them to Sudbury; or transferring some to Sault Ste Marie.

Mendicino tabled a motion Monday, which was unanimously adopted by council, calling on the task force to focus on North Bay as its No. 1 option and Monique Smith to get involved in the fight.

The motion was buoyed by the support of approximately 25 members of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union who work at the mental health centre and attended the meeting.

**We are looking for interested family members to join us at NEMHC for a roundtable disscussion regarding the 31 specialized beds. If this is an issue you are passionate about and would be interested in attending to voice your opinion or get more information, we would love for you to join us. The meeting will take place around the 3rd week of February. Call April or Joel for more information.