Wawa-news.com You can't hear the 'big picture'!
MPP France Gélinas (Nickel Belt), Health Critic for the Official Opposition released the following statement after news that an emergency room in Chesley, Ontario will be forced to shut its doors for eight entire weeks:
“Closing an ER for any length of time can have dire consequences, especially in a rural community where people are already driving long distances to access urgent care. For families in the Chesley area to face this reality for eight long weeks is simply horrific. Families seeking care for devastating emergencies like heart attacks and strokes may be forced to spend hours driving, precious time they cannot afford to waste. Over the Thanksgiving long weekend when people will be at their cottage, both locals and visitors need to be assured that if an emergency strikes, their closest ER will be fully staffed and ready to help.
SickKids in Toronto is warning of long waits. McMaster Children’s hospital is warning of crowding and long waits, too. Port Colborne Urgent Care Centre is closed this weekend. The Chesley ER has already been experiencing persistent forced closures this year. All because of short staffing. How many more hospitals are sinking under the weight of staff shortages this weekend? How many ERs are closed? How many beds are being put out of use because there aren’t enough nurses?
Editor’s Note: Bill Steele, the Mayor of the City of Port Colborne reached out to correct the information regarding Port Colborne’s UCC closure. “It is not closed all weekend, only one shift from 4 p.m. October 8 to 8 a.m. October 9.”
And where is Health Minister Sylvia Jones?
We have been watching a crisis unfold in our emergency rooms for months now. Instead of helping, Jones and Premier Doug Ford are making it worse by attacking the pay cheques of burnt-out health care workers.
On behalf of the Ontario NDP, I am imploring the Ford Government to recognize this crisis and take immediate action to recruit and retain health care workers in order to protect people’s lives. We can start to solve this health care crisis by getting rid of Bill 124 and paying health care workers a decent wage to recruit, retain, and return workers to the sector. We need to implement a fully funded return-to-nursing program and increase hospital budgets so there are enough staff on every shift. We need to incentivize health care workers and treat them with the respect they are owed.”
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