‘We recognise the gravity of this motion and the deep influence it is going to have on every of you,’ hospital CEO wrote in letter to workers
As hospital officers look to ‘align resources appropriately,’ as much as 39 private help employee positions can be eradicated over the following 5 months.
The job cuts come on the heels of a medical staffing mannequin overview at Guelph Normal Hospital (GGH), with steerage from an out of doors facilitator, the hospital mentioned.
“Our goal is to continue to maintain the level of exceptional care the community has come to expect from us, while ensuring we are aligning resources appropriately,” mentioned GGH spokesperson Carla Kostiak, by way of e mail.
“These changes will not happen immediately and we will not have a final number until we work through the process outlined in our collective agreements, including options such as early retirement or exploring other employment opportunities in the hospital.”
All positions are reviewed repeatedly, she famous.
The job losses have been introduced in a letter issued final week, addressed to “all staff and professional staff,” from hospital CEO Mark Walton.
“We recognize the gravity of this action and the deep impact it will have on each of you,” he wrote, noting the choice wasn’t made calmly. “We want to be clear that our priority remains supporting those affected during this transition.”
A media spokesperson for the Canadian Union of Public Workers, which represents all 64 PSWs at GGH, declined to touch upon the scenario at the moment, citing a necessity for extra data.
“The personal support worker positions were put in place to support Guelph General Hospital through significant health human resource challenges,” Kostiak defined, referring to staffing impacts related to the pandemic. “Now, in a more stable staffing position, adjustments to this position need to be made to ensure we continue to provide high quality care in a sustainable way.”
The aim, Walton’s letter explains, is to see the hospital’s staffing stage set at about the identical stage as similar-sized hospitals.
Along with eliminating positions, GGH is altering the duties carried out by PSWs, emphasizing affected person remark along with direct care.
“If you’re going to be removing them around, that means that there is going to be a negative patient impact, regardless of how you phrase it in the letter,” mentioned Ian DaSilva, chief working officer for the Ontario Private Help Employee Affiliation.
“PSWs in a hospital do the patient care,” he famous, utilizing affected person incontinence for instance. “They clean the patient. They do the bedding. They do everything that a nurse directs them to do.”
DaSilva was unaware of the deliberate job losses at GGH till approached by GuelphToday for remark.
“Our concern would be those who are being let go,” he mentioned. “I mean, we need to work with them to find them another employment.”
