TODAY: Rally & Press Conference to Save Long Island College Hospital with Public Advocate Letitia James
MEDIA ADVISORY:
For January 29, 2014
(Brooklyn, NY) January 29, 2014-Patients, nurses, caregivers, and community allies will join Public Advocate Letitia James for a rally and press conference at Long Island College Hospital today to speak out about SUNY's decision to move forward with a new a unilateral request for proposals for bidders who want to develop at the LICH site. SUNY is only opening up the request to previous bidders who already submitted proposals and has given a deadline of next Monday, February 3rd for revised proposals, which will not allow all potential operators the opportunity to submit proposals that meet community needs.
Who: Patients, nurses, caregivers and community allies will join Public Advocate Letitia James and other elected leaders.
When: TODAY at 3:30pm
Where: Henry Street & Pacific (near the LICH playground)
Statement on SUNY RFP letter by NYSNA Executive Director Jill Furillo, RN: "The patients that LICH serves have been clear that they need a full service hospital and, as nurses, it is our duty to advocate in the best interest of our patients. NYSNA is committed to preserving vital hospital services at LICH. We think that the decision by SUNY to reopen the RFP process is a step in the right direction but we are concerned that this is not a serious effort to address the needs of our communities. SUNY is not offering a process with a realistic time frame or one which will afford all potential hospital operators a meaningful opportunity to submit viable proposals that respond to the healthcare needs of the community. We need a truly transparent process and a serious effort by SUNY to work with the community find a viable solution to the healthcare crisis in Brooklyn. That's what Brooklyn patients need and deserve, and that's what we expect SUNY to offer."
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The New York State Nurses Association is the voice for more than a hundred thousand frontline nurses. We are New York's largest union and professional association for registered nurses.