WESTERN BUREAU:

The Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA) is appealing to relatives of elderly patients at the Cornwall Regional Hospital to pick up their family members, some of whom were admitted several months ago.

"We are appealing to persons to come and pick up their relatives, especially at this time when everyone from the young to the old look forward to sharing the season with family members," said Clinton Pickering, WRHA public relations officer.

"We have patients who are well enough to be discharged and they need to have their family members around them."

The Montego Bay facility, which is the largest hospital in the western region, is often hard-pressed to find bed space for seriously ill patients due to the fact that persons have been using the hospital as a dumping ground for their elderly relatives.

The matter has become so bothersome that the hospital has implemented programmes to try and locate negligent relatives. But even after finding them there is no guarantee that they will come for their relatives.

- C.H.