Camarillo Layoffs Purely Cosmetic

* Regarding your story, “Camarillo Hospital To Lay Off 90” on June 15, this seniority-based layoff may give the hospital the appearance of reforming itself. But in reality, it’s nothing more that a clever piece of cosmetics. It reduces the staff for sure, but this reduction process will certainly hurt the quality of patient care in the immediate future instead of improving or even maintaining the present level of care.

The truth is that Camarillo State Hospital’s wing which serves mentally ill patients is outdated and ill-functioning, with top-heavy management. This structure may give promotional opportunities to many ambitious, skilled professionals, but it does nothing to improve the quality of patient care. In financial terms, it’s a terrible burden to state hospital budgets and is the most important reason that state hospitals are not competitive, cost-effective organizations.

I suggest that the hospital director go back to the drawing boards and design a realistic, dynamic plan for layoffs which would allow the hospital to survive and to grow.

ADOLPH DONINS

Oxnard

Donins is a retired state employee who worked as a psychiatric technician at Camarillo State Hospital.