Hospital Professionals rally against Bill 60 across Ontario

TORONTO, April 26, 2023 /CNW/ - Hospital Professionals represented by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/SEFPO) will be holding rallies on Thursday, April 27 to speak out against the threat that Bill 60 poses to the regulation of their professions and the safe delivery of healthcare services.

Local leaders will be present and available for media comment.

Ajax

Time: 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

Location: Lakeridge Health Ajax Pickering Hospital, 580 Harwood Ave. S., Ajax

Media contact: Leanne Weatherill, OPSEU/SEFPO L. 348 President, 905-213-5772, [email protected]

Barrie

Time: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Location: Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre, 201 Georgian Drive, Barrie

Media contact: Liz Watts, OPSEU/SEFPO L. 346 President, 705-794-6702, [email protected]

Kingston

Time: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Location: Kingston General Hospital, 76 Stuart St., Kingston

Media contact: Erica Benn, OPSEU/SEFPO L. 4106 President, 613-888-5754, [email protected]

Kitchener

Time: 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Location: Grand River Hospital, 835 King St. W., Kitchener

Media contacts:

Dan Hahn, OPSEU/SEFPO L. 239 Vice-President, 519-616-0090, [email protected]

Judith Kaye Freeman, OPSEU/SEFPO L. 236 President, 519-998-3759, [email protected]

London – Victoria Hospital

Time: 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Location: Victoria Hospital, 800 Commissioners Rd. E., London

Media contact: Steve McCaw, OPSEU/SEFPO L. 106 President, 519-709-6634, [email protected]

London – University Hospital

Time: 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Location: University Hospital, 339 Windermere Rd., London

Media contact: Steve McCaw, OPSEU/SEFPO L. 106 President, 519-709-6634, [email protected]

London – St. Joseph's Hospital

Time: 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Location: 268 Grosvenor St., London

Media contact: Steve McCaw, OPSEU/SEFPO L. 106 President, 519-709-6634, [email protected]

Oshawa

Time: 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

Location: Lakeridge Health Oshawa, 1 Hospital Ct, Oshawa

Media contact: Leanne Weatherill, OPSEU/SEFPO L. 348 President, 905-213-5772, [email protected]

Ottawa

Time: 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Location: The Ottawa Hospital, 501 Symth Rd., Ottawa

Media contact: Melissa Coenraad, OPSEU/SEFPO Region 4 Vice-President, 613-218-7323, [email protected] 

Peterborough

Time: 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Location: Peterborough Regional Health Centre, 1 Hospital Drive, Peterborough

Media contacts:

Karen Seymour, OPSEU/SEFPO L. 373 Acting President, 705-740-3666, [email protected]

Shelley Hermer, OPSEU/SEFPO L. 373 Vice-President, 705-772-6987, [email protected]

Sarnia

Time: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Location: Bluewater Health Sarnia, 89 Norman St., Sarnia

Media contact: Philip Hodgetts, OPSEU/SEFPO L. 145 Executive member, 519-331-1386, [email protected]

Toronto

Time: 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

Location: Baycrest Health Sciences, 3560 Bathurst St., North York

Media contact: Iris Weinberg, OPSEU/SEFPO L. 583 Vice-President, 647-809-7690, [email protected]

Thunder Bay

Time: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Location: Thunder Bay Regional Health Science Centre, 980 Oliver Rd., Thunder Bay

Media contact: Gail Kelly, OPSEU/SEFPO L. 715 President, 807-632-2030, [email protected]

Quick facts:

• In February 2022, the Ontario Conservative government introduced Bill 60, Your Health Act, under the guise of relieving strain in public hospitals and reducing wait times. The Bill will allow more private clinics to open, without limit, and conduct OHIP-covered surgeries and diagnostic services. This announcement comes as public hospital operating rooms cannot operate at full capacity due to a lack of staff and funding.
• Hospital professionals and their unions have adamantly spoken out against Bill 60. Schedule 2 of Bill 60 has serious consequences for the safe delivery of healthcare services. It will give the government the power to deregulate some health professions by making changes to the definitions of Medical Laboratory Technologists, Medical Radiation Technologists, Registered Respiratory Therapists, Physicians, Registered Practical Nurses and Registered Nurses.
• Bill 60 poses a further threat to public hospitals budgets because of 'cream-skimming' – when for-profit clinics the easiest, fastest and most lucrative procedures and leave the most difficult, risky and expensive ones for the public system. Ontario's underfunded public hospitals rely on these procedures to offset the costs of more difficult ones. 
• Bill 60 will not only privatize surgical and diagnostic services; it is going to pull even more funding and staff away from public hospitals, making the healthcare crisis worse.
• Ontario competes for last place among the provinces when it comes to healthcare funding per capita. In terms of hospital staffing, bringing Ontario from dead last to the Canadian average would cost $2 billion. Last fall, Ontario's Financial Accountability Office (FAO) reported that healthcare spending was nearly $2 billion ($1.8 billion) less than what was originally earmarked.

SOURCE Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/SEFPO)