NDP: North Bay Hospital Layoffs; a jobs disaster with no relief for patients

QUEEN’S PARK — Ontario NDP Shadow Minister for Health, France Gélinas (Nickel Belt) and Shadow Minister for Labour Jamie West (Sudbury) questioned Health Minister Sylvia Jones about the recent layoff announcement at the North Bay Regional Health Centre.

“Speaker 72% of hospitals in Northern Ontario are facing a deficit. They tried every efficiency possible but are left with no choice but to cut programs and layoff staff. Two weeks ago, Jamie West, the MPP from Sudbury and I went to North Bay Regional Health Centre. The Hospital has issued layoff notices to 40 front line health care workers: 13 Registered Nurses, 3 Registered Practical Nurses, 1 Occupational Therapist and more.

These front-line health care workers offer their services throughout the hospital from in-patient services to the emergency department which averages 12 hours wait time. What is the Minister doing to protect access to hospital services for the good people of North Bay?” MPP Gélinas asked.

The North Bay Regional Health Centre (NBRHC) serves a catchment area of over 180,000 people in northeastern Ontario, including the Nipissing District and the surrounding region.

MPP West followed up “The Member from Nickel Belt and I went to North Bay because the Premier is a jobs disaster. Under his watch, in his Minister’s riding, 40 healthcare workers are going to lose their jobs, And nobody from the Conservative bench will speak with them. New Democrats care about workers. New Democrats care about healthcare. If 40 healthcare workers from Sudbury were losing their jobs, I’d fight for them every day. When will the Premier finally start fighting for the 40 healthcare workers in North Bay? ”

The North Bay Regional Health Centre is one of four major acute care hospitals in northeast Ontario; three others are the Sault Area Hospital, Timmins and District Hospital and Health Sciences North in Sudbury.

Video here.