QUEEN’S PARK - During question period on Monday, NDP MPP for Niagara Centre, Jeff Burch, said that the Ford Conservatives are putting the future of the West Lincoln Memorial Hospital at risk by cutting essential medical programs, and refusing to provide funding to rebuild it.
“The people of Niagara remember the 28 hospitals closed under previous Conservative governments, and it looks like closures are set to start again with the West Lincoln Memorial Hospital, who learned that they are losing their obstetrics and surgical programs,” said Burch.
“The Minister of Health provided no information Friday about the status of the plan to rebuild this hospital.”
Burch said that the situation is so dire that last week, the hospital’s chief of staff, Dr. Gary Benson, resigned in response to plans to move obstetrics and surgery out of the hospital. Benson wrote that he was “totally blindsided” by the decision.
Burch added that the interim site lead at the hospital says that unless they receive confirmation of funding to rebuild the hospital, “none of the rest of the pieces make sense.”
“Will the minister consult with the hospital and the people of Niagara before making a decision to close this hospital?” said Burch.