We Need Your Help

Kindly copy/print this letter, sign it and distribute to those named then pass copies to others to do the same!

Ms. Christy Clark

Premier, Province of British Columbia

Room 156
Parliament Buildings
Victoria, BC
V8V 1X4

Dear Ms. Premier:

RE:            Request for Support - Penticton Regional Hospital Patient Care Facility

The Okanagan Similkameen Regional Hospital District (OSRHD) has made application to the Province of British Columbia, through Interior Health, expressing great concern about the deteriorating state of the undersized Penticton Regional Hospital (PRH).  A number of the core PRH programs, including ambulatory services, [medical day care and clinics], procedural services, [inpatient surgery, endoscopic and minor surgical procedures], central supply and outpatient diagnostics do not have the physical space to safely handle the patient volumes that arrive daily from the South Okanagan and Similkameen.  PRH operates at 110% of its capacity. 

A Hospital Master Plan, a Functional Program Report and the Concept Plan have clearly identified the urgent need and are completed. Interior Health has acknowledged the PRH - Patient Care Facility as the highest priority in their Capital Plan, subject to funding. The Project is being submitted to the Minister of Health in September, 2012.

The OSRHD, in addition to paying for the Business Plan, has committed to fund their 40% share of the capital cost for the project, much of it already in reserve.  The South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation has committed to raise $20 million for medical equipment and their donors have expressed commitment to this project.

Society expects healthcare to meet appropriate objectives for all citizens, including our rural areas. We must have ambulatory medical day care programs and clinics improved in Penticton. Approximately 90,000 residents in the South Okanagan and Similkameen rely on the Penticton Regional Hospital to meet their health care needs. 

It is clearly our turn!  Six municipalities, eight electoral areas and the four Indian Bands have come together to support this application. We have done everything required and we are ready to proceed to construction.

We add our full endorsement for the request to the Province for the Penticton Regional Hospital - Patient Care Project and we look forward to your commitment now.

Sincerely,

c.c.       The Honourable Michael de Jong, Minister of Health

            The Honourable Bill Barisoff, MLA Penticton

            John Slater, MLA Boundary Similkameen

            Mr. Norm Embree, Chair, Interior Health Authority