David O. wants you to remember NDP nursing cuts

NEWS RELEASE

DAVID ORAZIETTI CAMPAIGN

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Orazietti Committed to Continuing to Strengthen Sault Health Care

The Ontario Liberal plan for health care focuses on new health care investments targeted at continuing to decrease wait times by supporting Personal Support Workers (PSW’s), investing in home care and improving health care services across the province.

"Our plan is fully costed and builds on the significant progress we have made to provide quality health care close to home and reduce wait times for important medical procedures, said Orazietti, Liberal candidate.

"Instead of supporting our plan that received wide ranging support form health care workers, Horwath decided to plunge us into an election, and put the province at risk of a Hudak government that is determined to cut thousands of health care jobs.

The Liberal plan for health care includes the following initiatives:

• A Primary Care Guarantee that will ensure all Ontarians with access to a doctor or nurse practitioner
• Increasing the number of Health Links from 54 to 90 across the province to connect high needs patients with a care coordinator, who will help them navigate the system, including access to primary care
• An additional investment of $750 million by 2016/17 for home and community care services for seniors, which includes $270 million for this year
• $6 million for community paramedics across the province to provide services, such as proactive care to frequent 911 callers, to reduce ER pressure
• Increasing wages for Personal Support Worked (PSWs) by $4/hour
• Expanding the scope of practice of nurses, giving them the ability to prescribe a wide range of medications and order tests such as CT scans and X-rays. Since 2003, the Liberal government has hired over 20,000 additional Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses and Registered Practical Nurses combined
• Increasing access to health benefits such as prescription drugs, assistive devices, vision care and dental care to approximately 500,000 children from low-income families

The NDP have voted against crucial local health care projects, such as the new Sault Area Hospital and the Algoma Public Health Building.

It is important to remember that when the NDP were in government they cut 3,000 nursing positions in the province.

The Harris-Hudak PCs fired 6,000 nurses, comparing them to “out of fashion hula hoops.” The PC’S also closed 28 hospitals, cut over 7,000 hospital beds and left one million Ontarians without a family doctor.

In contrast, since 2003, the Ontario Liberal government has increased health care funding by 68%, which has meant improved access to doctors and nurses.

This investment is improving health care for Sault residents through a number of projects, including the new Sault Area Hospital, two new family health teams, a new Nurse Practitioner-led Clinic, a new long-term care home, as well as increased access to home care.

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