Many people are saying that if only these two floors at the hospital were opened, the crisis of a lack of beds would end. This is patently untrue.
If these floors are opened, Vernon Jubilee will not gain more beds.
As no further staff would be hired to staff these floors, current wards in the existing hospital would be closed, and the staff of these wards merely transferred to the two new floors, thereby gaining no new beds.
It is quite possible that beds would indeed be lost. While the patients would have nice new shiny rooms to be in, there would still likely be beds in the hallways, and an overall lack of beds.
The hospital will still be holding long-term care patients, who have no where else to go, as there are very few new beds in existing facilities being opened, and no new long-term care facilities being built.
The government has shown no commitment to hiring the required staff needed to expand beds at VJH.
I do however, believe these floors will indeed be opened, just before the next provincial election, with all the PR photo-ops that go along with it, to tell us just how much our current government cares about health care.
Just look at the shiny new tower.
Bob Cail, Vernon
