Major cuts at city hospital
The Cornwall Standard-FreeholderWed Feb 17 2010
Page: 1
Section: News
Byline: GREG PEERENBOOM;
Dateline: CORNWALL
Health care will suffer, argue critics of major Cornwall Community Hospital bed and staff cuts announced on Tuesday.
The rehabilitation department has been gutted to 10 beds from the current 22, while the in-patient mental health ward will be trimmed by six beds to 16.
The reduction will be responsible for some of these 30 layoffs. Some of these staff cuts will be achieved through attrition.
"What is being lost with these cuts is going to affect a lot of folks," said Diane Morin, a hospital labour president who figures about half of the staff cuts will affect her union.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 7811 represents about 400 sanitary and dietary staff and practical nurses.
Morin said it's time for the community to put health care first, not finances.
"Cornwall needs to come out and speak up against anything that we're losing," she said.
The hospital made the cuts so it could reach a balanced budget after wracking up deficits the last several years, said hospital CEO Jeanette Despatie in a detailed press release.
"Our most valued resource is our people," said Despatie, who attempted to return a phone call, but could not make the connection. ...read more
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