Health care workers to protest outside MPP George Darouze’s office on Thursday as funding cuts take toll on staff, patients

Staffing cuts are already plaguing health care in Ottawa, with more than 700 nursing and PSW job cuts projected by 2027-28

OTTAWA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Health care workers represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees will hold a rally outside Ontario PC MPP George Darouze’s office to protest funding cuts by the provincial government.

The government’s fall economic statement shows a plan to cut hospital funding by 10 per cent in real terms over three years by 2027-28 as projected spending fails to cover the six per cent annual cost inflation for hospitals, says CUPE.

The consequences of fiscal restraint are already being felt by staff and patients in hospitals and long-term care homes across Ontario, as hundreds of jobs are being eliminated in North Bay, Hamilton, Ottawa, Niagara and the GTA as most hospitals face deficits and are cutting back on patient care.

“This government promised to clear surgical waiting lists and to end hallway medicine. 200,000 people are waiting for surgeries, and 73,000 patients are waiting longer than clinically recommended. 2,000 are on hallway stretchers waiting for beds and the government has now announced it will no longer report those numbers,” said Michael Hurley, president of CUPE’s Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU-CUPE), which represents 45,000 health care workers. “The PC funding plan through to 2027-28 will have devastating consequences for many people needing hospital treatment in Ontario.”

In Ottawa, about 700 nurses and PSWs are projected to lose their jobs across the health care system by 2027-28 if the government doesn’t increase funding. Layoffs have already begun at several facilities including Perley Health and the Royal Ottawa Place.

Based on projections by the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario, about 200 hospital beds could be lost in the Ottawa valley.

The union is alarmed about these cuts at a time when patient care is already compromised due to insufficient staffing and bed capacity. Latest Ontario Health data shows that ER patients at Ottawa hospitals wait between 16 to 23 hours for admission, well above the target time of eight hours.

“Patients are not receiving the care they deserve in our hospitals,” said Sharon Richer, secretary-treasurer of OCHU-CUPE. “Health care workers are stretched to their limits trying to provide the best care possible, but they need more support in the form of safe staffing levels, manageable workloads, and a properly funded hospital system.”

The union is recommending the following actions by the provincial government:

• In the short term, add 6,200 staffed beds to get patients off hallway stretchers, allow for aging and population growth and clear the backlog of people waiting for surgeries.

• Increase core hospital funding by $3.2 billion to clear deficits and hire additional staff

• Fund hospitals at their real costs (six per cent per year) with a multi-year funding commitment.

Who: Health care workers and community allies

What: CUPE rally outside MPP George Darouze’s office

When: 10 a.m., Thursday, February 26

Where: George Darouze’s office, 1128 Mill Street, Manotick, ON

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