LONDON – NDP MPPs Teresa Armstrong (London–Fanshawe), Terence Kernaghan (London North Centre), and Peggy Sattler (London West) released a statement following the report that St. Joseph’s London Mental Health Care Program at Parkwood Institute is replacing a number of registered nursing positions with other disciplines of staff, such as personal support workers and assistants:
“Doug Ford’s chronic underfunding of our health care system is leaving hospitals struggling with budget deficits, including a 4.7 million deficit last year for St. Joseph’s, and limiting the disciplines of health care professionals they can afford to staff,” said Armstrong. “Every member of the health care team brings valuable skills and expertise to patient care. Registered nurses play a vital role in health services, and ensuring appropriate staffing is essential to meeting patients’ complex and evolving needs.”
“Hospitals like St. Joseph’s are struggling to keep up with the growing need of our communities amid ongoing funding pressures and financial deficits.” said Kernaghan. “The responsibility lies with a provincial government that continues to leave hospitals without the resources they need. We cannot celebrate healthcare workers when we need them most, only to leave them behind when the crisis fades from the headlines. Health Minister Sylvia Jones needs to recognize what matters most: patient care. That requires properly funding our hospitals.
“Patients deserve care based on their needs, not a hospital’s bottom line,” said Sattler. “The Ford government must mandate nurse-to-patient ratios to ensure patients receive the care they need and nurses have the support and resources to do their jobs safely. Hospitals should never have to choose between balancing their budgets and having the staff they need to care for Ontario patients.”