St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton has revealed that it will cut 24 jobs to help address a nearly $18.7 million deficit from the previous fiscal year.
“We are currently forecasting a deficit for the 2026-27 year. As a result, we must make difficult but necessary decisions to strengthen our financial sustainability and protect our ability to continue delivering high-quality care for our community in the years ahead,” Dr. Mike Heenan, president and CEO of the hospital network, said in a statement.
Heenan mentioned that the hospital has found an additional $5.3 million in operational savings, which includes $1.4 million from administrative cuts like supplies and $3.9 million related to staffing changes.
“In total, 11 vacant positions and 13 non-vacant positions will be eliminated for a total of 24. To help offset any further pressures on our budget, we have identified an additional $1.1 million in new revenue-generating initiatives,” he said.
This past year, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton evaluated their patients’ specific needs to ensure they have enough healthcare workers with varied skills available.
The assessment showed that while patient care quality remains high, there’s still room for improvement in matching staff to patients’ needs more effectively. Consequently, they are updating clinical staffing plans in several departments.
“These changes will result in a reduction of 57 positions (ONA) with an associated reinvestment of 80 positions (16 ONA, 52 CUPE and 12 OPSEU), resulting in 23 additional positions in areas of critical need,” Heenan said.
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He also indicated that certain areas will see an increase in registered practical nurses and personal support workers who will use their expertise to provide compassionate care alongside registered nurses.
However, Heenan noted that other areas would have more registered nurses focusing on treating the most acute and complex cases.
The union representatives have been informed about these changes and will follow collective bargaining agreements during implementation.
“For those staff impacted, we anticipate many will be able to maintain employment at St. Joe’s in other positions that are currently vacant,” Heenan said.
“Other staff will be offered early retirement options. In the case of staff who will be ending their employment, we will ensure they have the necessary supports in alignment with collective agreements and employment contracts,” Heenan added.
“The decisions are difficult, but we are confident they will not reduce access to services or impact our ability to deliver exceptional care as we continue to work with Ontario Health and the Ministry of Health on their hospital sector stabilization plan.”
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