Suggested letter to be written by South Okanagan residents to ensure that Victoria gets a strong message.

Ms. Christy Clark
Premier, Province of BC
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 theProvinceofBritish   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 theSouth Okanaganand 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 inPenticton. Approximately 90,000 residents in the South Okanagan and Similkameen rely on thePentictonRegionalHospitalto 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 thePentictonRegionalHospital- Patient Care Project and we look forward to your commitment now.

Sincerely,
(Write in your name and send to Premier)

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