Sault Area Hospital nursing cuts questioned in legislature

NEWS RELEASE

ANDREA HORWATH ONTARIO NDP LEADER

************************* Horwath rejects government cuts to Sault Area Hospital

QUEEN’S PARK - Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath [shown] rejects proposed government cuts to the Sault Area Hospital.

Please see Hansard transcript below.

Hospital services

Ms. Andrea Horwath

My question’s to the premier.

Last Wednesday, the Sault Area Hospital released its so-called hospital improvement plan.

Can the premier explain how cutting 22 front-line nurses actually improves care for the people of Sault Ste. Marie?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty

To the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care?

Hon. Deborah Matthews

Thank you for the question.

You know, all of our hospitals are working very, very hard to make the changes that are necessary in order to have the best possible health care system.

We are really focusing on enhancing the capacity of our health care system outside our hospitals, investing in community care to make sure people get the care they need as close to home as possible.

Status quo is not an option in the health care system today.

We have to continually be improving our health care system, making sure we’re getting very best value for our health care dollars and, at the same time, improving the quality of health care received in our communities and in our hospitals.

These are not easy decisions that hospitals are making, but I have every confidence the hospital improvement plan at the Sault Area Hospital is the way to go.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters)

Thank you. Supplementary.

Ms. Andrea Horwath

The Sault Area Hospital is facing the second-worst deficit of all hospitals across the province.

The hospital has been operating at 107 percent capacity and alternative level of care of patients account for 35 percent of all inpatients.

On top of firing nurses, the hospital is cutting out patient safety improvement programs in maternal care.

Again, how can the premier and his minister think that cutting care and safety programs will improve hospital services for the people of Sault Ste. Marie?

Hon. Deborah Matthews

The leader of the third party actually did touch on what is so important about this hospital improvement plan.

This plan is predicated on reducing the ALC numbers to 15 percent, so they are doing exactly what they should be doing: ensuring that there is capacity outside the hospital for people who do not need to be in hospital, do not want to be in hospital and are not getting an optimal level of care in the hospital.

They would be better served elsewhere.

As the Sault Area Hospital works to reduce their ALC rates, that means that they will be able to, in fact, reduce the service in their hospital, but that is contingent on having enhanced services in the community.

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