Nearly 30 personal support worker jobs have been cut at the Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital.
The union representing these workers, Unifor, recently expressed its “deeply concerned” stance regarding the ongoing “broader pattern of restructuring happening across hospitals in Ontario,” following the loss of 27 jobs at this Oxford County facility.
“While the employer has indicated plans to hire more registered practical nurses (RPNs), these additions do not come close to offsetting the loss of PSWs,” the release stated. “PSWs are crucial to quality patient care and provide essential, hands-on support to ensure the dignity, safety and quality of life for patients every single day.”
Teresa Armstrong, MPP for London-Fanshawe, criticized the Ministry of Health’s decision that occurred just two weeks after London Health Sciences Centre cut 288 nursing positions.
“If (Minister of Health Sylvia Jones) thinks that patient care won’t be affected by these losses, she needs to work one shift at a London hospital and experience the workload hospital staff have been handed by her ministry,” Armstrong noted.
“Frontline social services workers perform some of the most important and most challenging jobs, supporting our most vulnerable. Yet, despite their importance, they are being asked to do more with less.”
Tillsonburg Mayor Deb Gilvesy expressed her sadness over this news.
“I am thinking of the workers and their families,” she added. “While these decisions fall under the authority of the hospital and its board, which are governed by the provincial health-care system, I would like to thank them for their service to the community.”
Before becoming a councillor for Tillsonburg, Kelly Spencer was a registered nurse while her father, Jim, was president and CEO of the hospital from 1977 until 2000.
“My heart goes out to the PSWs affected by this decision,” Spencer said. “Having been a registered nurse, I know the invaluable role PSWs play in providing compassionate, hands-on care and the comfort they bring to patients and families every day. At the same time, I understand how hospitals need to adjust staffing models as patient needs become increasingly complex and medically intensive.”
Spencer mentioned several factors driving changes in healthcare. She pointed out that people are living longer while some procedures that used to require long stays are now much quicker.
“The patients occupying hospital beds today often require more frequent assessments, complex interventions and a higher level of clinical care,” she added. “PSWs are still highly needed in Tillsonburg with the new people Care long-term care facility opening as well as home-care services.”
Unifor has pledged its support for those impacted by these job cuts and will “push back against decisions that undermine both workers and the health care system that Ontarians rely on.”
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