The Canadian Union of Public Employees is urging the province to provide sufficient funding for hospitals to alleviate overcrowding and hallway medicine.
During a news conference on Thursday, the union’s Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (COCHU) reported that Windsor hospitals are facing a $42 million deficit and require $128 million to function properly.
COCHU also mentioned that bed occupancy in Windsor hospitals stands at 91 percent, indicating a need for an additional 1,266 staff members.
They emphasized that without adequate funding, hospital employees are experiencing burnout and patients are not receiving the care they need.
CUPE researcher Doug Allan stated that more provincial funding is essential just to sustain current hospital services and highlighted the urgent need for increased hospital capacity to cater to the aging population and long wait times for surgeries and other procedures.
“We have to have a government that recommits itself to building our hospital capacity. That means bringing our staffing levels up to the levels that we see in the rest of Canada. Right now, we’re far, far short,” said Allan.
Michael Hurley, president of CUPE’s Ontario Council of Hospital Unions, noted that hospital staff are feeling overwhelmed and anxious as they battle against an unsustainable system daily, leading many to leave their jobs.
“No matter how hard you work, you can’t keep this system together on the strength of your sacrifice. Nothing you do over and above will make it work. There just aren’t enough staff,” Hurley remarked.
Hurley pointed out that while the provincial government is increasing hospital funding by 3.3 percent due to inflation, a rise of 6.5 percent is necessary. COCHU mentioned that $5 billion is needed to tackle the crisis facing Ontario hospitals right now.
Allan doesn’t hold hospitals responsible for being in deficit; he described them as “incredibly efficient” given their limited resources. He added that costs are rising for medications, outsourced services, and various expenses while salaries represent a smaller portion of their overall budget than before.
COCHU believes it’s time for the healthcare system to revert back toward more public funding since privatizing hospital services proves costly and results in longer wait times.
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