For release: 6:00 a.m. May 5, 2010
Staff at Peterborough Regional Health Centre plan a major campaign to protect services from Liberal budget cuts
Peterborough Ontario…Union members attended an emergency meeting last night to discuss how to respond to the Peer Review which has called for 71 bed cuts, 151 full-time equivalent staff cuts and the closure of many clinics and other services at Peterborough Regional Health Centre.
CUPE Local 1943 President Karen Ward commented after the meeting “ staff at the hospital are very upset that vital services could be lost and they committed to fight these cuts. We adopted an action plan: door to door literature drops, a lawn sign campaign, a picket of Liberal MPP Jeff Leal’s office on May 11, a rally at the hospital, a public meeting and a major demonstration. We will be working with the Peterborough Health Coalition, community and seniors’ organizations and other unions. “
Karen Ward also commented “ the lawn signs will say ‘Jeff Leal: Defend Peterborough Regional Health Centre‘. In other communities, Liberal MPP’s defended their hospitals and brought back an extra $80,000,000 to cover deficits. Far from getting help to cover our hospital’s deficit, Mr. Leal suggested the Peer Review, which recommended our hospital lose 1/6 of its beds and many of its clinics and staff. He has done Peterborough an enormous injury.”
Michael Hurley, president of OCHU commented “the provincial government receives a 6% increase in healthcare funding from the federal government in 2010. But they are passing on just 1.5% to Peterborough Regional Hospital. Hence the need for budget cutting masquerading as a scientific study. We are asking the Peer Review to release details of the 21 hospitals it compared PRH against to reach its conclusions. This information is not included in the report. The Harris government’s Hospital Restructuring Commission disclosed much more information to the public when they recommended the merger of St. Joseph’s Hospital and Peterborough Civic. ”
For information contact:
Karen Ward, President, CUPE Local 1943: 705-742-5326
Michael Hurley, President, OCHU: 416-884-0770
For release: 10:00 a.m. January 27, 2010
And the peer review process will miss the real reason PRHC has a deficit.
CUPE Local 1943 President Karen Ward reacted to recent statements by the Southlake hospital CEO, Dan Carriere who will head the peer review. “ Mr. Carriere has had the honesty to say that staff cuts are on the line because 75% of hospital budgets fund staff. You cannot cut $29 million without cutting deeply into services. Peterborough and surrounding communities have a right to expect that the LHIN will tell them the truth, not mislead them, as the have done, about the nature of this exercise, which is clearly about budget cutting. “
Michael Hurley, president of the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions, stated that
“ Peterborough Regional Health Centre has a large deficit because an aging population is using its services in greater and greater numbers. Ontario’s hospital system is the most efficient hospital system in Canada, with more acute patients than the other provinces, fewer beds and staff than the other provinces, and a shorter length of stay than the other provinces. The answer is not cuts which will make the hospital less efficient, but additional funding, in recognition of the real problem. Mr. Leal, MPP, needs to convince his government to come through for Peterborough.”
Diane Crough, Central Eastern Ontario Vice-president for the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions stated that “ Already we have 1,000 postcards signed calling on Mr. Leal to work to defend our community hospital and to open up the peer review process to the community. So far we can’t see that he is listening.”
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For information contact:
Karen Ward, President, CUPE Local 1943: 705-742-5326
Diane Crough, Vice-president, Central Ontario, OCHU: 705-745-3511
Michael Hurley, President, OCHU: 416-884-0770
Clear now that staff, services at risk in hospital peer review
Peterborough Ontario…The Central East LHIN has deliberately downplayed the potential impact of the hospital peer review process in Peterborough, says the union representing 540 employees at the Peterborough Regional Health Centre.And the peer review process will miss the real reason PRHC has a deficit.
CUPE Local 1943 President Karen Ward reacted to recent statements by the Southlake hospital CEO, Dan Carriere who will head the peer review. “ Mr. Carriere has had the honesty to say that staff cuts are on the line because 75% of hospital budgets fund staff. You cannot cut $29 million without cutting deeply into services. Peterborough and surrounding communities have a right to expect that the LHIN will tell them the truth, not mislead them, as the have done, about the nature of this exercise, which is clearly about budget cutting. “
Michael Hurley, president of the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions, stated that
“ Peterborough Regional Health Centre has a large deficit because an aging population is using its services in greater and greater numbers. Ontario’s hospital system is the most efficient hospital system in Canada, with more acute patients than the other provinces, fewer beds and staff than the other provinces, and a shorter length of stay than the other provinces. The answer is not cuts which will make the hospital less efficient, but additional funding, in recognition of the real problem. Mr. Leal, MPP, needs to convince his government to come through for Peterborough.”
Diane Crough, Central Eastern Ontario Vice-president for the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions stated that “ Already we have 1,000 postcards signed calling on Mr. Leal to work to defend our community hospital and to open up the peer review process to the community. So far we can’t see that he is listening.”
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For information contact:
Karen Ward, President, CUPE Local 1943: 705-742-5326
Diane Crough, Vice-president, Central Ontario, OCHU: 705-745-3511
Michael Hurley, President, OCHU: 416-884-0770
Public meeting urged on PRHC cuts
CITY COUNCILPosted By BRENDAN WEDLEY , EXAMINER MUNICIPAL WRITER
Posted 6 days ago
City council wants a provincial health agency to hold a public meeting on health care issues in the region and allow the public to participate in the peer review process at the hospital.
Council passed the resolution to forward the requests to the Central East Local Health Integration Network (LHIN), the agency that oversees certain health care services in the area between Scarborough and Peterborough, at its meeting on Monday night.
Council needs to push for local participation in the health care decision-making process, Coun. Bob Hall said. ...read full article
For release: 8:00 p.m. December 30, 2009
CUPE Local 1943 President Karen Ward reacted to the suggestion from the Central East LHIN that the union is spreading fear and anxiety among staff. “The Rouge Valley Health system is in the same LHIN as the Peterborough Regional Health Centre. The leadership of the Central East LHIN is fully aware that hospital budgets cannot be cut back without cuts to staff, beds, services and programs and that in the case of Rouge Valley 1 in 15 staff were eliminated.”
Michael Hurley, president of the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions, stated that “in every case across the province, where a hospital peer review has been conducted, staff and programs have been cut. What causes staff anxiety is the knowledge that hospital spending cannot be reduced without cutting staff, the knowledge that these budget decisions will be made without staff or community input and the fact that the leadership of the LHIN is pretending to hospital staff and the community that this is not an exercise in budget cutting.“
Diane Crough, Central Eastern Ontario Vice-president for the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions stated that “postcards calling on Mr. Jeff Leal, MPP, to work to defend our community hospital and to open up this process to the community will be distributed starting next week”.
For information contact:
Karen Ward, President, CUPE Local 1943: 705-742-5326
Diane Crough, Vice-president, Central Ontario, OCHU: 705-745-3511
Michael Hurley, President, OCHU: 416-884-0770
2008 Scarborough Peer Review cut 220 jobs in Central East LHIN
Peterborough Ontario…The Central East LHIN, which oversaw a peer review that resulted in 220 job cuts in the Rouge Valley Healthcare system is deliberately downplaying the potential impact of the same process in Peterborough, says the union representing 540 employees at the Peterborough Regional Health Centre.CUPE Local 1943 President Karen Ward reacted to the suggestion from the Central East LHIN that the union is spreading fear and anxiety among staff. “The Rouge Valley Health system is in the same LHIN as the Peterborough Regional Health Centre. The leadership of the Central East LHIN is fully aware that hospital budgets cannot be cut back without cuts to staff, beds, services and programs and that in the case of Rouge Valley 1 in 15 staff were eliminated.”
Michael Hurley, president of the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions, stated that “in every case across the province, where a hospital peer review has been conducted, staff and programs have been cut. What causes staff anxiety is the knowledge that hospital spending cannot be reduced without cutting staff, the knowledge that these budget decisions will be made without staff or community input and the fact that the leadership of the LHIN is pretending to hospital staff and the community that this is not an exercise in budget cutting.“
Diane Crough, Central Eastern Ontario Vice-president for the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions stated that “postcards calling on Mr. Jeff Leal, MPP, to work to defend our community hospital and to open up this process to the community will be distributed starting next week”.
For information contact:
Karen Ward, President, CUPE Local 1943: 705-742-5326
Diane Crough, Vice-president, Central Ontario, OCHU: 705-745-3511
Michael Hurley, President, OCHU: 416-884-0770
For Release: 10:00 a.m. December 30, 2009
Karen Ward, president of CUPE local 1943, which represents 540 registered practical nurses, tradespersons, cleaners, dietary and support staff at PRHC said “that the Financial Performance Improvement Plan spells bad news for the community“.
“The funding formula for St. Joseph’s and Peterborough Civic hospitals was lower than many of their peer hospitals, said Ms. Ward. “The new Peterborough Regional Health Centre is still crippled by this history of chronic underfunding. Peterborough Regional Health Centre’s deficits are worsened by the move into a new facility, the consolidation of services into the hospital from surrounding communities and the increased utilization of the hospital by a growing and aging population“.
OCHU Central Ontario Vice-president Diane Crough warned “ peer review is the last step before the province steps in and takes over the hospital’s operation. Recommendations of the peer review committee are made without disclosure of meaningful financial information or consultation with the public. We are calling on Mr. Jeff Leal, MPP, to help open up this secretive process to public input.”
Michael Hurley, president of the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU) estimated that “ eliminating the $39,000,000 deficits for PRHC for 2009 and 2010 could involve the loss of approximately 385 jobs. And each job takes with it substantial hospital services to the people served by the Peterborough Regional Hospital”. Approximately 75% of every dollar spent on Ontario’s hospitals goes to staff salaries.
Ms. Ward announced that CUPE Local 1943 will be spearheading a postcard campaign directed at Mr. Leal, urging him to provide leadership by defending the hospital.”
For information contact:
Karen Ward, President, CUPE Local 1943: 705-742-5326
Diane Crough, Vice-president, Central Ontario, OCHU: 705-745-3511
Michael Hurley, President, OCHU: 416-884-0770
Staff fear deep cuts will be recommended to hospital budget by peer review
Peterborough Ontario… CUPE warned today that the Central East LHIN decision to send in a Peer Review Team to assess the hospital’s operations will mean deep cuts in service at Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC).Karen Ward, president of CUPE local 1943, which represents 540 registered practical nurses, tradespersons, cleaners, dietary and support staff at PRHC said “that the Financial Performance Improvement Plan spells bad news for the community“.
“The funding formula for St. Joseph’s and Peterborough Civic hospitals was lower than many of their peer hospitals, said Ms. Ward. “The new Peterborough Regional Health Centre is still crippled by this history of chronic underfunding. Peterborough Regional Health Centre’s deficits are worsened by the move into a new facility, the consolidation of services into the hospital from surrounding communities and the increased utilization of the hospital by a growing and aging population“.
OCHU Central Ontario Vice-president Diane Crough warned “ peer review is the last step before the province steps in and takes over the hospital’s operation. Recommendations of the peer review committee are made without disclosure of meaningful financial information or consultation with the public. We are calling on Mr. Jeff Leal, MPP, to help open up this secretive process to public input.”
Michael Hurley, president of the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU) estimated that “ eliminating the $39,000,000 deficits for PRHC for 2009 and 2010 could involve the loss of approximately 385 jobs. And each job takes with it substantial hospital services to the people served by the Peterborough Regional Hospital”. Approximately 75% of every dollar spent on Ontario’s hospitals goes to staff salaries.
Ms. Ward announced that CUPE Local 1943 will be spearheading a postcard campaign directed at Mr. Leal, urging him to provide leadership by defending the hospital.”
For information contact:
Karen Ward, President, CUPE Local 1943: 705-742-5326
Diane Crough, Vice-president, Central Ontario, OCHU: 705-745-3511
Michael Hurley, President, OCHU: 416-884-0770
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