McCrory Statement on Cherry Hospital

Statement

McCrory Statement on Cherry Hospital

Mayor Pat McCrory, the Republican nominee for governor, today made the following statement on Cherry Hospital losing its accreditation:

"Throughout this campaign, I have talked about changing the culture of state government. Yesterday we were reminded of the mismanagement and scandal that has plagued our state's mental health system. Cherry Hospital lost accreditation and funding from the federal government for mismanagement and endangering patients just months after the same action was taken against Broughton Hospital. This will cost the state approximately $800,000 per month.

"Where's the outrage among our state leaders? And perhaps of greater concern is the apparent argument from state officials that North Carolina meets minimum standards. We should be striving for excellence rather than just trying to get by with the bare minimum.

"Some of our most vulnerable citizens are dying and the state's response is to try to achieve the lowest quality care and still receive accreditation. Efforts to reform mental health care have wasted hundreds of millions of dollars and have harmed patients because of poor planning, poor implementation and terrible management. Our mental hospitals are in crisis and the state responds by closing wards and entire hospitals. This crisis rests squarely on the shoulders of the Easley-Perdue Administration. Lt. Gov. Perdue has said she is the "health care leader' for North Carolina. I'm not sure we can stand another four more years of her "leadership.'

"We do not need a new program that rhymes, or a $100,000 consultant to give advice. We need to set high standards for the level of care we provide and hold the leadership that settles for a minimum standard accountable. We need to change a culture that accepts scandals as a way of running state government."

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