NDP MPP France Gelinas says nursing jobs to be cut in Sudbury
Hospital says budget deliberations still in place, no final decision made
France Gelinas said she spoke with a vice president of the Ontario Nurses Association, and was told 34 full-time equivalent jobs will be cut.
She said the reduction in staff will affect patient care.
“Those will come from the critical care unit, mental health units, surgical unit as well as the ER department,” Gelinas said.
“As well as reduced number of hours … more part-time nurses losing their work in the birthing unit as well as in the operating room.”
Health Sciences North spokesperson Dan Lessard said in a statement, that the hospital is still in budget deliberations.
“That involves looking at a number of options to find efficiencies, including not filling existing vacancies and restructuring existing positions,” he said.
“This process is ongoing and nothing has been finalized, so there is not set number to confirm. When the budget is finalized, we’ll be informing any staff affected first, before we would comment publicly.”
The province’s health minister was in Sudbury on Wednesday to campaign with the Liberal candidate.
Eric Hoskins said he was not aware of the cuts. “Individual hospitals from time to time make decisions based on where they think those investments will have the greatest impact on patient care and the services that we provide,” he said.
Hoskins said funding to the hospital in Sudbury has increased by about 26 per cent in the past five years.