North Shore Mental Health facing possible $500,000 budget cut

The BC Nurses' Union is alarmed Vancouver Coast Health is quietly considering deep cuts to mental health services on the North Shore.

The health authority, which manages the North Shore has informed the Department of Psychiatry at Lions Gate Hospital of plans to cut $500,000 from the budget for community mental health.

"Chopping half a million dollars from the budget will have a significant impact on patients struggling to cope with mental health issues and there will be long-lasting, devastating consequences in the community," says BCNU president Debra McPherson. "Like other communities, the North Shore needs strong, consistent support for the mentally ill."

McPherson says mental health care is under attack by health authorities in search of cost savings. Fraser Health recently closed many night clinics. In Vancouver, the mayor and police chief have declared a mental health crisis and are demanding more services.

"It is pennywise, pound foolish to reduce mental health services at a time when the police, community leaders and nurses are crying out for more support for the mentally ill."

Recently, nine doctors in Psychiatry at Lions Gate Hospital wrote a letter to the media denouncing the possible cut, saying it would lead to staff layoffs and service reductions.

McPherson says this is another example of a health authority mismanaging its budget. "Lions Gate Hospital is building a new $62 million state of the art mental health centre. At the same time it is considering reducing services to the people who need it. It makes no sense."

Health Minister Terry Lake recently said the impact on services and patient care is to be considered in any decisions made in health care. McPherson urges the health minister to talk to the front line workers in mental health. "Nurses work with these patients day in, day out. They have first-hand knowledge of the impact of service reductions on the patient and the community."