Yukon blasted for using hospital beds for long-term care

Health minister Doug Graham was criticized yesterday in the Yukon Legislature for allowing the use of hospital beds for long-term care.

NDP health critic Jan Stick asked how many surgeries had to be cancelled because of lack of beds.

Stick says local surgeon David Storey has raised the issue.

"Dr. Storey, renowned surgeon at Whitehorse General, said that out of the 16 beds set aside for surgery and recovery, only about two are regularly available to over 35,000 people in the Yukon."

Stick says the other 14 beds are used instead for chronic illness or people waiting for long term care.

She wondered why the Thomson Centre only has 23 beds — half the original number.

"The other half of the centre has been converted into office space. Why has the minister allowed long term care beds in the Thomson Centre to be converted into office space while surgeries are being cancelled?"

Health minister Doug Graham replied that his department is looking at options for long-term care patients.

"We've also just begun to look now to look at temporary facilities that may be available throughout the city."    

Graham added that last year, four surgeries were cancelled.

He said only one of those was due to a shortage of beds.