PAGE 4, WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 1980, WHITBY FREE PRESS whitbyC p 1 Voiceofa the County Town Michael Ian Burgess, Pubiisher- Managing Editar The oniy Whitby newspaper independentdy owned and operated by Wbitby residents for Whitby residents. Published every Wednesday by IM.B.M. Publishing and Photography Inc. Phone 668-111 I The Free Press Building. 131 Brock Street North. P.O. Box 206. Whitby, Ont. Michael J. Knoll Community Editor Marjorle A. Burges Production Manager Karen Thompson Advertîing Manager Maiing Permit No. 480 Member of the Whitby Chamber of Commerce Ruddy can f111 the void left by the lack of bedsm the Aj ax-PickeeringHospita Last week, an Ajax weekly reported on its front pàe that there is a chronic shortage of active treatment beds at the Ajax-Pickering General Hospital. According to the administrator of that faciiity, the hospital wili require another 20 to 25 per cent more beds ln order to adequately serve its cam- munity. The story also reported that seriously Iii patients had been kept on gurneys in an emergency waiting area until regular beds ln the hospital could be vacanted. This is ironic considering that not more than five miles down the road, Whitby's Dr. J.O. Ruddy Hospital has the facilities to help solve this problemn and provide quality medical care. At present, of Ruddy's 100 beds, only 65 are in authorized use and they are anly occupied about 75 per cent ai the time. That means that in any given day, there are only 49 or so patients receiving treatment at the Ruddy hospital. In short, this is a waste, an exampie of bad heaith planning. Here ln Whitby we have the newest medicai facility in the region, capable of serving and meeting the medicai needs ai the citizens, flot only of the town but the region, as weli.. If there ever was a need for a general haspital in Whitby capable af serving flot anly the town but the region it has been demonstrated by this unfor- tunate state af affairs at the Ajax-Pickering General Hospital. (For the record, we are not assessing biame for this situation on the Ajax-Pickering General Hospital or its staff members.> It seemns bizzare that one fine medicai faciiity shouid be fuli ta overflowing when another, equaiiy fine medicai facility, only a short distance away is underutilIized. What makes It worse is that with a minimal capital investment, that other facility can be made ready to accept the overfiow within a short period of time. Ail that this reaiiy represents is a lack af plan- ning, a iack of ca-ordination within the regionai health care catchment area. The Dr. J.O. Ruddy Hospital has been front page news in the Whitby Free Press over the iast twa months because ai a report prepared for the Durham Region District Heaith. Council that recommended that it be used as the basis for the redeveiapment ai the Whitby Psychlatric Hospital. To do this now is preposteraus considering the situation that the Ajax-Pickering Hospital Is suf- fering and the predictions ai severe patient over- f 1 ow at the Oshawa Generai Haspital. This evidence would indicate that the Ruddy hospital needs an eniarged medicai care raie, nat a reduced or even eiiminated one. Logical health planning wauld seem ta indicate that Ruddy's raie be directly concentrated ln the active or chranic medicai care areas. Ruddy is a fine, modemn building, totaliy designed as a campiete medicai faciiity. Ruddy can and shouid be stepping ln ta help relieve the situation at the Ajax-Pickering Haspital.' They have the facilities, If they don't have the staff, they can prabably find them. The job ai providing quality medicai came in Durham Region Is a responsibiiity that we ail share, and Whitby has everything that Is needed ta accept its fair share. Gaod heaith planning ensures that situation like the one at the Ajax-Pickering General Hospital would nat occur, and if a littie gaad planning Is used naw, it wiii nat accur again. Dr. J. O. Ruddy General Hospital can heip f Ill the void, and it is haped that the health pianners have the wisdom ta use it ta the fuliest. I I m