Page16The following article appeared in The Telegraph-Journal on July 19, 1975:
Health Minister G. W. N. Cockburn said Friday he agrees with Kip
Holloway, Administrator of the Provincial Hospital in Saint John, that the
building should be replaced..
"Let's face it," the minister said, "the fact is the place (the Provincial Hospital) needs to be replaced. That type of hospital is out of date structurally and in the type of treatment available."
However, Mr. Cockburn said he couldn't agree with Mr. Holloway that the main reason the building hasn't been replaced, despite several government studies showing it should be, is because it isn't politically expedient to build a mental institution.
"That's an old statement," Mr. Cockburn said , "something people say when they've got nothing else to say. I doubt very much that would be one of the prevailing causes."
Mr. Holloway, while conducting reporters on a tour of the 127-year-old structure Thursday said the building needs replacing and the main reason it hasn't been replaced was: "You don't win elections by spending money on psychiatric care. You can sell the idea of a new hospital for the physically handicapped people because most people identify with it. But it is harder to sell the idea of a mental institution. Most communities don't want one."
"I can't speak for all politicians," the health minister said, "but I don't feel that (political expediency) with there not being a new institution."
At the same time, he said he agreed with Mr. Holloway that the average citizen doesn't relate to mental institutions, while they relate easily to a general hospital.
"If you think hospitals are built for political reasons, no matter who you are, I think you're wrong," the minister said, "They are built because they need to be built."
The health minister said he thought the main delay was caused by a decision by doctors "a few years back to phase out mental institutions. No money was spent on that hospital (the Provincial) because of that. Then , in the past few years, they have changed their viewpoint."
Mr. Cockburn said "many people" in the Department of Health are now studying plans for a new facility to replace the Provincial Hospital in Saint John, but he said he had no idea when it might be available. "I should hope within a few years," he said. "First, we've got to find an area for it, finish building plans and find the money for it."
He said early plans call for replacing the existing facility with a "community-type institution" which would change the style of living for patients at the Saint John hospital.
"By the community-type of institution, I mean a little village with services and smaller quarters making it much more natural to live in" he said.
Asked if he felt the conditions at the Provincial Hospital were causing the morale of the staff to suffer, he said "morale seems to be generally good there."
However, he said "several years ... probably the early 70's" since he has visited the hospital. "I haven't been in recently," he said.
5 More
All pages © Heritage Resources and New
Brunswick Community College - Saint John.