LONDON, ON, March 31, 2026 /CNW/ – Members of the Ontario Nurses’ Association at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) are raising concerns after their employer announced plans to lay off 288 registered nurses (RNs) across various departments, especially in adult ambulatory and inpatient care, as well as pediatric services. This reduction will result in a loss of 562,867.5 hours of RN care overall.
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These job cuts will harm patient care and increase the already heavy workloads for nurses who strive to deliver timely, high-quality service. While management claims this is part of a benchmarking process to align with similar academic hospitals, ONA argues that it’s just a way to cut costs at the expense of patient care.
“It’s unacceptable that a hospital like LHSC, which serves thousands of acute patients, is cutting the registered nurses who provide front-line care while their former leadership is under investigation for embezzlement,” says ONA Provincial President Erin Ariss, RN. “At a time when public trust in hospital administration is already low, these cuts make nurses question who really matters: patients or budgets?”
LHSC stands as one of Canada’s largest acute-care teaching hospitals, serving residents throughout London and southwestern Ontario. In 2025, LHSC faced scrutiny when several senior management members were dismissed for allegedly embezzling funds. Nurses and health-care professionals demand accountability for public spending and decisions that jeopardize patient safety.
Ariss explains, “LHSC belongs to the Ontario Hospital Association, which advocated for four percent funding increases to sustain hospital operations. That was announced in last week’s provincial budget; therefore they have no valid reason to proceed with these layoffs.”
ONA will continue pushing the provincial government for mandatory safe staffing ratios and hold health-care employers accountable for insufficient staffing levels in hospitals. Ariss notes, “Mandatory staffing ratios are essential for ensuring safe working conditions for front-line staff and providing timely, high-quality patient care.”
ONA represents 68,000 health-care professionals along with 18,000 nursing student affiliates who provide services in hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health organizations, community settings, clinics, and industry.
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