Speak now…

POOCH energizes community determined to save its hospital

Dave Gray has a simple message: We want our hospital back! It is a message that is resonating with many, many people in this community—people who feel increasingly powerless to protect Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital from yet another round of cuts to service and capacity.

There is a deepseated frustration brewing in Prince Edward County that decisions affecting the daily lives of residents are being made elsewhere by disaffected bureaurats and that appeals are falling on deaf ears.

Already PECMH is caring for three or four more patients than its current capacity of 21. Those surplus patients must be housed in hallways or in the emergency department— where the costs of care are eyewateringly expensive due to the specialized skills needed there.

Now Quinte Health Care, a hospital corporation comprising four hospitals including PECMH, will see its funding cut by about seven per cent next month. The Picton hospital has been singled out for a wildly disproportionate share of the cuts. Nine beds—and the nursing staff that go along with them—will be slashed. No longer will expectant mothers be able to deliver their babies in the Picton hospital. Scoping procedures are also expected to migrate away from Picton—to a shiny new operating theatre at Belleville General Hospital.

QHC administrators say community agencies and homecare services will fill in as the hospital shrinks. But many County residents are skeptical, seeing these latest cuts as just the next step toward the gradual elimination of a hospital this community built and funded.

Dave Gray’s Patron Of Our County Hospital campaign—affectionately known as POOCH— has captured the imagination and no small amount of frustration of many in the County.

Gray is working toward filling a fleet of buses filled with POOCH supporters—young and old—to go to Queen’s Park in Toronto on April 17. He wants politicians and policy makers to hear from those whose lives are being affected by these decisions.

He has already raised enough money and sold enough tickets for a couple buses— but the demand continues to grow. More than 500 POOCH pins now adorn lapels across the County proudly proclaiming support for the County hospital.

One unique twist of POOCH gives those who can’t afford to take the day to travel to Toronto the opportunity to sponsor a senior who can.

Gray is convening another meeting tonight at the Wellington United Church to assign organizational tasks. He has already received an astonishing amount of offers of support and assistance. Now he is putting these skills to work—to ensure this rally makes a powerful impact on April 17.

This week it has become easier to support a senior, buy a ticket to get on board—or just offer financial support to the POOCH campaign. The real estate offices of ReMax in Wellington and Picton, Royal Lepage in Wellington and Picton, Century 21 in Picton, Quinte Isle Real Estate in Wellington and Books & Company in Picton are accepting and administering fundraising on behalf of POOCH.

Buses (each coach comes equipped with a washroom on board) will pull out of the Wellington and Picton arenas at 8 a.m. on April 17.

If you can help stop by the Wellington United Church tonight at 7 p.m. or call Dave at 613.399.5167