PCH ICU closure dominates first question period of legislature’s new session

Health Minister Mark McLane and Premier Dennis King were on the hot seat Tuesday during the first Question Period of this new session of the PEI Legislature.  They were grilled by both the Opposition Liberals and Third Party Greens, and even from the Government side about the closure of the Intensive Care Unit at the Prince County Hospital in the face of a shortage of internal medicine physicians.  Health PEI said Monday it was being transitioned to a Progressive Care Unit, a unit that cares for very ill patients but not to the level of intensive care.  Patients at Prince County Hospital requiring intensive care will be transferred to the QEH. McLane indicated in the legislature that this was a temporary solution while locums are sought and internal medicine specialists are secured, but he did not offer a timeline on when the PCH ICU would reopen.