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PAGE 2, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27,1978, WHITBY FREE PRESS atient carechange Cont'd from P. 1 population of 1,125,000 people. The patiens are placed in the units according to where they live, and one unit contains patients with a wide range of problems, spys Mr. O'Keefe. Mr. O'Keefe sees benefits in placing the patients according to their illnesses and needs, for it will be easier to provide proper programs from which they will derive the most benefit. Under the system, he says, staff with specific interests and abilities in certain areas can be assigned to the type of patients which require their skills and expertise. The new system can provide better programming with specialty programs than in a geographic setup, he says. Some types of units being discussed are a behavior modification unit, a self care unit, apsycho-geriatric unit (which the hospital already has), a unit for disturbed retardates, and a secure unit. The need for a secure unit was demonstrated recently when three female staff members were injured by a 21-year-old male patient who became uncontrolable. Presently there is no locked secure unit for patients who become violent, says Mr. O'Keefe. Mr. O'Keefe feels that a funtional unit setup will better provide an opportun- ity to prevent such incidents from happening. Discussions on the functional unit approach began before the incident, but the injuries to the staff by the young patient have emphasized the need to establish a secure unit. One of the problems faced by the hospital, says Mr. O'Keefe is that it now has to handle a tougher brand of patient. Most of the patients at Whitby are males aged 25 to 35 years, "the hard core left over from the flower child era of the '60s," says Mr. O'Keefe. A number are involved with drugs, he said. By comparison, Mr. .O'Keefe says that the patients in psychiatrie units in general hospitals are generally 40 to 50-year-old planned females. Another problem is the need for more male staff, he says. The Ministry of Health is currently studying the situatipn said Mr. O'Keefe, because 4Ien are not goîng into the field of-nursing like they did a few years ago. Mr. O'Keefe says he is surprised at this, for the starting rate of pay for male nurses is much higher than it was a few years ago. The hospial's administra- tion is also working on developing the new commun- ity services unit which opened in June, and hopes to establish some clinies out- side the hospital by the end of 1978, says Mr. O'Keefe. The Community services unit centralized the hospital's out-patient services and services for patients on day care, to provide better follow up procedures, said Mr. O'Keefre. The next step is to find suitable accommodation for clinies in communities with- in the hospital's catchment area, and negotiations for space have already begun, he said. The hospital is currently looking to establish clinics in Port Perry, Cannington, Uxbridge and possibly Ajax, and plans are te enter into negotiations for all but Ajax in September. Mr: O'Keefe hopes to have at least two of these out- patient clinics operating by the end of the year. "We want to do a lot more work outside of the institution," he says. "Our goal should be preventing people from Michael O'Keefe administrator of the Whitby Psychiatric Hospital, says discussions are under way to change the structure of the elinical units 'so that patients will be grouped together according to their illnesses and needs, rather than by geographical locations. A master plan for the change is expected by November, he says. Free Press Photo The next phase of the program, according to Mr. O'Keefe, is to centralize the total follow-up of patients in one unit. Presently much of this work is done from the individual geographie units. Mr. O'Keefe would also like to have the hospital establish a sheltered work shop somewhere in the community - between Ajax and Oshawa to cut down the patients' dependency on the hospital. The hpspital is presently looking for suitable space for the workshop, and it could be operational early in 1979, says Mr. O'Keefe. The work shop would be primarily for patients in the community who make regular visits to the hospital, he said. Mr. O'Keefe admits that since he came to the Whitby Psychiatrie Hospital a year ago, "we have had to hold what we had together." In the past year the.hospital has acquired a new administra- tor, assistant administrator, personnel director and medical director, all of whom are key senior staff. Turnover is a problem," says Mr. O'Keefe. "I'm the third administrator in three years." Mj. O'Keefe said some progress has been made, in WHITBY FABRICS :CUSTOM DRAPES Patterns Dress Goods Excellent prices On made drapes. 215 Dinds St. E. 668-4821 recruiting five new highly qualified psychiatrists in the past year, but two have left, leaving only a net increase of three. "It has been a difficult year," says Mr. O'Keefe. "We have gone through three restraint programs which froze hiring." Presently the hospital is up to its full staff complement of 750, now that the latest freeze has been lifted, he said. Mr. O'Keefe says he does not feel that understaf- fing is a problem. Mr. O'Keefe said he has had a good relationship with the community of Whitby since he arrived at the hospital, and only two "Nuisance incidents" involv- ing patients causing prob- lems in town have been reported to him. "We have a responsibility to the community," he said, and if there are any problems regarding out- patients in the town, he would like to hear about them. As far as the provincial government's role study for the hospital is concerned, the study was completed about f ive months ago, and is being discussed at the various levels of the Ministry of Health, says Mr. O'Keefe. He said that the Ministry of Health will make the study .public some time, but when that will be, he has not been told. The role study is designed to determine the future use of the Whitby Psychiatric Hospital, and the costs of upgrading its facilities. Tickets are available for puppet show Oct. 15 Tickets are still available for the Canadian Puppet Festivals' production of "Pinocchio," which will be held at O'Neill Collegiate in Oshawa Oct. 15. The production, presented by Canada's oldest and best known professional puppet theatre company, located in Chester, Nova Scotia, is the first offered by the new Durham Region Cultural Foundation. The foundation is dedicated to , providing family entertainment in the Durham Region by profes- sional theatrical groups. Times of the "Pinocchio" show on Oct. 15 are 12:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Tickets are available at M.B.M. Publishing and Photography Inc. (Whitby Free Press) in Whitby, R.H. Thomas and Saywell's Book Stores in Oshawa, and The Toy Box in Bowmanville. Canadian Puppet Festivals is operated by Leo and Dora Vellman, who for more than 25 years have presented productions in Canada and the United States in schools, at theatres and on television. They have also toured England, Germany and France, appearing at puppet festivals as representatives of Canada, and have made numerous appearances at the National Arts Centre in Oshawa. BIOCK THEATRE 668-3618 fIàÇis thewoI MON. TUES. THURS. 7:30 P.M. ONLY FRI. 7 P.M. & 9 P.M. SAT. & SUN. 1:30 P.M. 7P.M. & 9P.M. ADULT ENTERTAINMENT