Horwath says investments, not cuts, needed at hospitals

Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said it’s critical that the Ontario government start investing in our health care system, after years of Liberal and Conservative budget cuts and freezes have left hospitals overcrowded and families worried about their loved ones who need help.

On Friday, Horwath made that call in front of St. Joe's West 5th hospital, where 11 suicides involving in-patients and out-patients have taken place in just 18 months. Yet, another $7 million in cuts are slated to take place at St. Joe's this year as a result of the Wynne government's underfunding.

In support of getting to the root of the problems, Horwath called for a Coroner’s Inquest into those 11 suicides, including the death of Welland man Daniel Reale. 

“These deaths are troubling,” said Horwath. “Patient care has already been seriously impacted by the Wynne government’s cuts to health care, and the hospital itself has called the high number of suicides in its facility unusual. Hamiltonians need to know – are there more cuts coming?”

Horwath was joined by Denise Skowronnek, whose brother Daniel Reale died at West 5th in June when he used his own shoelaces that he was permitted to have to take his own life.

“My brother was severely depressed,” said Denise. “He suffered from bi-polar disorder and his whole family had been encouraging him to seek the help he needed.  He voluntarily admitted himself to that hospital and passed away three weeks later.

'This inquest will help all those families whose loved ones need help after us,” Denise continued. “Why is the hospital staff not more adequately trained?  Why was no one watching him?  Why was he even allowed to have shoelaces in there in the first place? These questions have answers, and we need to know what they are so this never happens again.”

Horwath noted that the Conservatives started the health care crisis by firing 6,000 nurses, closing 28 hospitals and slashing over 7,000 hospital beds – and Wynne just keeps pushing Ontario further down the same bad road. This year alone, the Wynne government is underfunding hospitals by at least $300 million.

Horwath has committed to providing strong and predictable funding for hospitals that always keeps pace, at a minimum, with inflation, population growth, and the unique needs of our communities. She has also called for a moratorium on laying off any further front line staff and has committed that an NDP government will make health care a priority.

“We need investment in care, not more Conservative and Liberal cuts,” said Horwath. “It’s time for a government that is a real partner with health care providers so that everyone in Ontario has access to the care they need, when and where they need it.”