The fate of 31 specialized mental health care beds in northeastern Ontario appears to have been decided following a decision by the Northeast LHIN to move the beds from North Bay to Sudbury.
The move was recommended by the Regional Advisory Panel on Addiction and Mental Health, but encountered fierce opposition from North Bay City Council, the North Bay & District Chamber of Commerce and Ontario Public Service Employees Union members over the anticipated loss of 64 jobs in North Bay.In 1999, the Health Services Restructuring Commission recommended that the beds be transferred to Sudbury. This was followed by a June 2005 Report on the Transfer of District and Local Mental Health and Addictions Programs in Northeastern Ontario by Ken White, former president and CEO of Trillium Health Centre, who recommended that they remain in
North Bay.
However, the 31 beds were never incorporated into the design of the new North Bay Regional Health Centre, forcing the LHIN to review the issue one more time.
A lengthy position paper released by the Northeast Mental Health Centre (NEMHC) medical staff endorsed the LHIN's decision as being in the best interests of patients.
"The uncertainty over the location of the 31 specialized mental health beds has gone on for so long, and has generated such strong feelings, entrenched positions and divisions that political pressures could not possibly be avoided," wrote medical staff.
"There should be no tolerance of further dissent over the location of specialized beds. There should be an expectation for organizations and professionals to set aside past disputes and work co-operatively to maximize the quality of patient care."
The decision affects patients requiring tertiary specialized mental health services due to the severity, complexity and persistence of their disorder. "All have significant symptoms or disabilities, most have multiple diagnoses and many have a combination of mental disorders, substance abuse and physical illnesses."
NEMHC medical staff strongly disagreed with the notion that these patients are best served close to home.
"There is absolutely no evidence that reducing the distance between the site at which specialized programming is delivered and the patient's home is related to more favourable outcomes."
On the contrary, "there is substantial literature indicating that some sub-populations benefit from a period of separation from the factors that are causing the persistence of their mental illness.... It does not take much imagination to recognize that separation from drug dealers and distance from families and friends whose attitudes undermine treatment and recovery...is likely to be beneficial for some patients."
According to Cynthia Stables, the Northeast LHIN's senior corporate advisor, the beds will have to be moved to Sudbury Regional Hospital's Kirkwood Site by January of 2011, when the new North Bay Regional Health Centre is ready for occupancy and the current facility housing the Northeast Mental Health Centre closes its doors.
Between now and then, staff will have to be recruited and the Sudbury facility will have to be upgraded.
NEMHC medical staff are recommending "appropriate incentives" for existing staff to relocate to Sudbury.
"Without this, we anticipate significant difficulties for the health-care system in the Sudbury area as shortages of professionals will be exacerbated. Some of the sub-specialty professionals working in our programs have skills that are in high demand, and there is a risk that they will leave our region should they choose not to relocate to Sudbury. Every effort should be made to retain these individuals."
