Prouty’s backers cry foul on DPH

Members of an advocacy group attempting to block Boston Children’s Hospital’s $1 billion planned expansion said the state’s recent recommendation to approve those plans is illinformed, based on skewed information from the hospital itself.

“In effect, the staff has relied on what the hospital provided while giving no weight to outside experts,” said Greg McGregor, lead counsel for the Ten Taxpayer Group and Friends of Prouty Garden, the group working to stop the expansion.

He added that the Department of Public Health recommendation was a “whitewash” of issues raised by the group.

DPH recommended Friday that the Public Health Council vote in favor of the project, which critics say would destroy the beloved Prouty Garden, a therapeutic green space on the hospital’s campus.

“What we used to say in college is they ‘ punted’ to the Public Health Council,” McGregor said.

The council will vote on the project Oct. 20, and McGregor said the group will be preparing “comprehensive, highly technical legal comments” within the next week to 10 days.

In a statement, DPH said, “Following a thorough review, it has been determined Children’s proposal meets the regulatory requirements and includes many positive aspects to improve care for the children and families the hospital serves.”

The state Health Policy Commission took a recent vote to submit a letter to DPH warning that the plans could cause the hospital to acquire more patients and “destabilize competing local pediatric care programs.”