September 21st, 2017

Overcrowding, funding cuts pushing Ontario hospitals to breaking point: NDP

NDP Health Critic France Gélinas says funding cuts and long wait times are compromising care for patients in her riding of Nickel Belt, and across the province.

“Health Sciences North, our hospital, provides complex treatment to people all across the northeast. Unfortunately, not only are wait times getting longer and longer, but Health Sciences North, like most other large community hospitals in our province, now has hallway medicine as the new normal,” said Gélinas. “The Ontario Hospital Association is warning that overcrowding is leading to a crisis. Even our province’s neonatal units are overcrowded and turning away our sickest of newborn babies.”

The previous Conservative government in Ontario laid off 6,000 nurses and closed 28 hospitals across the province. Since then, subsequent Liberal governments have continued to underfund hospitals and other health care services, leading to what the Ontario Hospital Association calls a ‘capacity crisis.’

Gélinas described how long wait times and over-stretched resources are affecting one of her constituents.

“My constituent has a kidney condition. It could be life-threatening and it is definitely painful. Her specialist needs her to have a CAT scan before he can determine the best course of treatment for her condition,” explained Gélinas. “He referred her for a CAT scan in June. In July, she was informed that her appointment for her CAT scan is at the end of January 2018.”

The NDP MPP pushed the Minster of Health to address the issue.

“Does the minister think that a six-month wait for a diagnostic test is putting patients first? And does he think that it would lead to good patient care?,” she asked. “What will it take for this minister to admit that our hospitals – which used to be the crown jewel of our health care system – are now dangerously close to the breaking point?”