‘Fight of our lives’

Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation chair Leo Finnegan

Another QHC deficit threatens Picton hospital

Quinte Health Care (QHC) appears set to eliminate endoscopic services (a screening technique in which a physician inserts a probe into the patient) from Picton, moving them to Belleville, as it seeks to cut costs in an attempt to balance its budget.

If that happens, it will be just the latest in a long list of cuts made to Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital since it was forcibly amalgamated with hospitals in Belleville, Trenton and Bancroft to form QHC

QHC chief Mary Clare Egberts told a gathering of Prince Edward County Memorial Foundation members last week that she is looking at a projected $12 million deficit looming over the hospital corporation, and that means “everything is on the table. Anything could happen.” Foundation members asked Egberts if they should proceed with plans to launch a Christmas appeal for funds for equipment needed in PEMCH’s endoscopy department. Egberts advised them not to proceed.

“The message was clear,” says Leo Finnegan, Foundation chair. Finnegan was present at the meeting. “They are going to move that [endoscopic services] out of here. Last year, there were some 3,000 surgical procedures done here. My understanding is that five or six surgeons come here to do these procedures. They like coming here. It is very efficient. but they are going to move it anyway.”

Finnegan fears much worse news is on the way. Finnegan is a veteran of the wars against QHC. In 1998, he along with fellow PECMH governors, appealed to the Health Services Restructuring Commission not to eviscerate the Picton hospital. That appeal was rejected and since then Finnegan has battled a succession of cuts to services and capacity.

He fears the most important battle is just ahead.

“We are in for the fight of our lives,” says Finnegan.

He has spoken to QHC chair Steve Blakely in recent days, warning that the Foundation’s ability to raise funds is in jeopardy.

“Look, if you go cutting services in Prince Edward County any more, the hopes of us trying to raise money for a new hospital are down the tubes,” said Finnegan. “People are not going to give.”