Staff at Lakeridge Health in Oshawa are speaking out about what they see as growing workloads and declining patient care.
Members of CUPE 6364 held a protest outside the hospital on Thursday. They argue that the health center is trying to cut costs due to provincial funding limits, resulting in job losses even though there’s an increased need for care.
Pam Parks, a registered practical nurse at Lakeridge Health and president of CUPE Local 6364, mentions that insufficient funding is impacting patient services. She told Durham Radio News that Lakeridge Health has cut three full-time dietary positions, responsible for delivering trays to patients’ rooms.
This change means that food must now be brought to the floors by nurses, who have taken on this additional responsibility.
“Staff are fed up with the chaotic conditions at Lakeridge,” said Parks. ” We have stretchers full of patients in the hallways because our hospital is running over capacity.”
She claims workers feel pressured to discharge their patients quickly – even when those patients require more time and attention to recover properly.
Parks also states that sick calls aren’t being covered, leaving remaining staff feeling overwhelmed and short-handed. She says this situation makes them feel like they’re not meeting their responsibilities because they are stretched too thin.
Parks urges the community to be understanding when they or their loved ones are receiving care.
Michael Hurley, President of CUPE’s Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU), points out that emergency room patients face average wait times of around 20 hours, while surgical wait times have doubled since 2019.
He notes that some workers are leaving the field because they believe they can’t provide the high-quality care that patients deserve due to being overstretched.
Hurley warns that ongoing funding cuts could lead to more job losses and fewer hospital beds when the system is already under strain.
The OCHU-CUPE is pushing for a $3.2 billion increase in hospital funding to help bridge the gap between Ontario and other provinces across Canada.
They’re also advocating for a six percent yearly increase to keep up with population growth and an aging demographic.
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