The undesirable options have been released….and, they include drastic cuts to the hospitals in Trenton and Picton. Quinte Healthcare President Bruce Laughton says they’ve spent 10-years trying to keep things the way they’ve always been…but, if they are going to survive the fierce human resources and financial challenges…they’re going to have to behave as one hospital that exists on four sites. The three options presented include cutting the number of beds in Trenton from 70 to 10, shutting down the TMH emergency for 8-hours overnight, limiting patients to three nights in hospital, closing the maternity ward in Picton and many others. The LHIN ordered the QHC to make cuts to balance its budget which has a projected shortfall of 6.7-million dollars this year and another 8.5-million next year. The savings from the options presented today range from 6.6 to 7.1 million dollars. A series of public meetings will be held over the next month and a final report will be submitted to the LHIN by March 9th.
