Defend Public Healthcare

Mop and Pail columnist Adam Radwanski makes the following claims about public sector interest arbitrators in today's paper: "The opposition is publicly calling them out. The Ontario government is grumbling about them behind closed doors. Both hold them responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars in wage costs that could put the squeeze on public services, as the province struggles to climb out of deficit.... "The situation appears to be coming to a head, with growing rumblings that the party holding power after October’s election will seek to overhaul the arbitration process. But how exactly the Liberals or Conservatives would achieve that is unclear. "The Tories seem to be a little further along in their thinking; a party official said they’re developing a 'mechanism' that would involve new legislation. But it has to be a little daunting that former premier Mike Harris - who had a stronger stomach for confrontation than today’s leaders - went do

The health care funding crisis is coming at the Liberal government from every direction lately, even from friendly newspapers.   The Toronto Star  has started a series on home care, showing how patients are falling through the cracks at a time when hospitals are discharging patients “sicker and quicker”. The  Star  found numerous stories of seniors denied access to home care or just given a few paltry hours.  A 90-year-old Scarborough woman with dementia is told she does not qualify for home care. A daughter in Stouffville begs to keep a few home care hours for her 86-year-old father who is paralyzed by a stroke. In Aurora, a woman who cares for her chronically ill husband, was refused home care after she broke her back. The series started Saturday ,  and continued Sunday  with more to come later this week.  Take a peek.  It seems it never rains, it simply pours:  The  Peterborough Examiner also ran a front page story yesterday detailing the trials of getting home care

While the Ontario government claims that expanded home care services are the answer to hospital cuts, the reality on the ground is a little different. The Hamilton Spectator reports that "patching together services from the CCAC, as well as private home health care agencies, is becoming more the norm as families struggle to help ailing family members stay in the home." "If they don't get enough hours from the CCAC we top them up," Yvonne Griggs chief executive officer of Alert Best Nursing and Home Care Solutions reports.  Families pay almost $24 an hour for a personal support worker who does meal preparations and help clients, who are mostly elderly, with bathing, exercises, and walking. Even Progressive Conservative health critic Christine Elliott says this is creating a two-tier system where those who can afford more services get better care.   "What's happening in Hamilton is indicative of what's happening across the province. CCACs a

The Toronto Sun reports that tomorrow the Ontario Auditor General Jim McCarter will release a follow-up to his  report on contracting-out by eHealth Ontario, a report that set out some pretty rotten contracting-out practices. The Auditor General told the Sun his office was asked to conduct spot audits on the use of consultants at the Ontario Ministry of Health, Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) and hospitals. “We look at the procurement and oversight of consultants at the ministry,” McCarter said of his 30-page report. “We picked a few LHINs to have a look at and we went out to a number of hospitals to have a look at consultants’ procurement and use and ... (the report says) here’s what we found”. When the Auditor General's report on eHealth came out in October 2009, Toronto Star columnist Jim Coyle noted that the Auditor General had highlighted the near total reliance on outside consultants at e-Health. By 2008, the eHealth Program Branch had almost 300 consul

Lots of fun yesterday at the OCHU/CUPE rally in defense of the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC), with a major focus on local Liberal MPP Jeff Leal. The rally called on him to start to fight for the local hospital, rather than the cuts. The so-called "Hospital Improvement Plan"   cuts 1 2 medical beds, along with 8 surgical beds, 4 critical care beds, and 4 beds for women and children.  The plan also envisages closing 32 beds at Christmas and March break, and closing 16 beds during 4 summer weeks.  Other cuts include: driving down the length of stay, reduced diagnostic testing, reduced CT scan staffing (despite already having CT wait times well over the provincial target), reductions in the neuro and breathing clinic, reductions in hospital cleaning staff, and reductions in dietary staff. As well, in January, 24 medical beds were reduced to "sub-acute" beds.  Eight other sub-acute beds are being created. But as these sub-acute beds are the targets of c

A U.S. jury slammed the owners of a  major U.S. nursing home with a $677 million verdict this past summer, sending shock waves through the industry. A class action lawsuit  on behalf of 32,000 nursing home residents blamed staff shortages for the misery encountered by the residents — echoing a common complaint across the country that for-profit nursing homes are too concerned with profits rather than residents. Critics charge that many companies drastically cut payroll expenses to prop up stock prices after Wall Street investment firms went on a nursing home buying spree. "The major problem for most nursing homes in California and in the nation is staffing," said Pat McGinnis, executive director and founder of the California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform. On July 6, the Humboldt County jury found that Skilled Healthcare on numerous occasions violated state regulations requiring it to keep a minimum number of nurses on duty at its 22 homes in the state. The lawsu

Competitive bidding is coming back. Or so it seems.  As of yesterday, the Ontario Association of CCACs had on their web site a link to a letter reporting that competitive bidding for home care services will come to four communities between October and December of 2010. As of today, however, the link to the letter is no longer to be found.  But while the link has disappeared, the web page still works. The letter, dated August 13, indicates these plans only reflect "the current planning  among CCACs and is dependent on the issue of MOHLTC Directives for CCAC procurement."  The Conservative Harris government introduced this model to home care in 1996: it requires Community Care Access Centres to contract out all home care services.  As a result, for profit corporations have taken over many of the home care services provided by nurses and personal support workers in the province.  There has been major problems with the quality of of care as longstanding not for-profi

The Ontario Liberals replied with a sharp attack today on the health care policies of Tim Hudak and the Ontario Conservatives.  Naturally (and quite rightly ) they raise doubt about Hudak's support for (public) health care.  More notably, they stand four square behind the LHINs, claiming they cut government bureaucracy. Secondly, they also suggest that Hudak and the Conservatives "oppose giving communities a local voice in health care decisions"  --  presumably due to the Conservatives' opposition to the LHINs. We will see if they stick to this tack. The second argument in particular is a bit of a stretch. The LHINs have taken quite a beating of late and the Liberals may be tempted to change emphasis as the election approaches. dallan@cupe.ca

Local Liberal MPP Rick Bartolucci announced an extra $4.9 million for Sudbury Regional Hospital last week.  (The Liberal MPPs often seem to be able to free up their schedules for these cash announcements.)  In fact, most of the money ($4 million) is just the 1.5% base hospital funding increase that was announced five months ago in the provincial budget.  (Although there are now reports that some hospitals won't even get that.)   I have yet to hear anyone suggest that 1.5% will cover hospital inflation costs. So this isn't much of an announcement.  And the rest of the cash? Well there's some to make up for costs associated with last year's H1N1 epidemic ($60,000 -- whoppee) and $500,000 to cover extra operating costs associated with moving into a new facility.  More encouragingly, there was $400,000 for new neurosurgical procedures. We are now five months into the  province's fiscal year, and we are only now beginning to hear a little bit of information on thi

The Liberals continue to pay a heavy price for their health care sins.  And for the Progressive Conservatives (now leading in the latest poll), the LHINs are the gift that just keeps on giving.  The Erie St. Clair LHIN boss has now issued an apology for  making his, er, 'frank' remarks regarding Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak:  “Let’s be very clear — this guy is making this crap up and it’s false. I don’t think the public is stupid enough to believe him.” Notably, the 'apology' does not extend to Hudak, just to the local population.  (But for all the groveling, see the  What's New  section of the Erie St. Clair LHIN web site.) Adding to the joy of Progressive Conservatives everywhere, the chair of that very same LHIN claimed  "I don't think it's a lot of money" when asked about the $54,075 in per diem payments that she received last year (a 29% increase over the year before). The Chair, Mina Grossman-Ianni has donated $2,422 to t

As reported a few days ago, the Ontario government (quietly and) retroactively, revised the 2009-10 budget deficit downwards another $2 billion when it released the Public Accounts.  And as reported way back on July 12 (before any public mention of the current consultations with unions on a compensation freeze), Finance Minister Dwight Duncan had predicted that the 2009-10 deficit would decrease. But he also predicted  that the 2010-11 deficit estimate would be revised downwards too. “If you're starting off with a smaller deficit for the year ended, presumably if you follow the plan we've laid out, then the numbers will improve down the line — assuming no cataclysmic or unanticipated event”. While the revision for the 2009-10 deficit has now happened, the revision for the 2010-11 deficit has not.  Or at least not yet.  The deficit is now forecast to be higher this year (when the economy is growing) than it was last year (when the economy was shrinking).  I'm

As reported here  a week and a half ago, the Erie St. Clair Local Health Integration Network (LHIN --  the guys charged with funding and restructuring Ontario health care) was planning to bring in Disney speakers for an hour or two at an upcoming LHIN conference.  Well (following a lot of public criticism), it now appears that even the LHIN finds this idea too goofy (or, perhaps, just a little mickey mouse).  So they've pulled the Disney speakers.  But the Erie St. Clair LHIN CEO, Gary Switzer, is not backing down graciously.  Here's his response to Tory leader,Tim Hudak, who had criticised the plan:  “Let’s be very clear — this guy is making this crap up and it’s false. I don’t think the public is stupid enough to believe him.” The Windsor Star notes that Switzer countered  Hudak, claiming the LHIN was not going to spend $10,900 for Disney speakers to lead the 90 minute chat, but rather only $9,500. (At this point I might note that I'd be more than willing to talk

Yesterday about 200 people joined a rally called by OCHU and CUPE Local 2875 at Queensway Carleton Hospital in Ottawa to protest bed cuts. Queensway Carleton employees were joined by hospital workers from Cornwall, Brockville, and other points in eastern Ontario. Local 1974 at Kingston General chartered a bus. A few workers even came from OCHU Area 4. And it was a very pleasant protest. Local 2875 President Ian Rayment called on local Liberal MPP Bob Chiarelli to come through and help the Local union stop the cuts. The chant of the day? I nominate: "Bob Chiarelli get off your butt and help us fight these hospital cuts".  Local 2875 met with him a few months ago, to little avail. But Chiarelli has just been elevated to cabinet -- so he should have more ability to deliver now. We will see. In the past, most hospital protests were in smaller cities, so this is something new. On September 2, a protest at Providence Healthcare (in Scarborough) brings the protests to Toronto.

Of the provincial deficit and Dwight Duncan, the provincial Finance Minister, the Toronto Star suggests that the “spectre of looming shortfalls … helps bolster Duncan’s case for a planned wage freeze for more than 1 million public servants, including nurses, teachers and bureaucrats.” Well, that argument is weakening. The Public Accounts for the province have now come out for 2009-10 and the deficit is a lot smaller than Finance Minister Dwight Duncan and the Liberal government forecast. In fact, another $2 billion was lopped off the provincial deficit. The Liberal government also reduced its deficit estimated by $3.4 billion the day before the March provincial budget. That makes the 2009-10 deficit $5.4 billion less than the Liberals had estimated it to be half way through the year. (When I see discrepancies this size, it does make me wonder if I've put too much faith in Finance Ministry forecasts.) In any case, the government will not get one-tenth of $5.4 billion t

The Cornwall Standard Freeholder reports that the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) has established at its annual conference a committee with representatives of municipalities from all over Ontario to deal with the shortage of beds for long-term health care patients and lobby the provincial government for help.  (This sounds connected to some work by municipalities at the AMO conference reported earlier.) Cornwall mayor Bob Kilger said the AMO is putting a document together to incorporate feedback from municipalities all across the province with similar problems. Then the committee will meet with stakeholders, such as hospital officials and government representatives. Councillor Sid Gardiner added the committee should make  progress as it puts pressure on the provincial government with the weight of 90% of Ontario municipalities. Meanwhile the cuts continue.  After the closure of the adult diabetes clinic at the Northumberland Hills Hospital (NHH) earlier this year,

The first two weeks of the Liberal government's consultations with unions on a 'compensation freeze' are up.  University faculty unions were one of the groups involved in the first two weeks of consultations. So here's the resolution on those consultations from the university faculty unions, passed on to the government Wednesday evening: The Ontario faculty associations and other groups representing academic staff have received reports from their delegation about the issues discussed the week of August 9, 2010 with COU (Council of Ontario Universities) and government officials. We are confident that these issues can better be addressed at the local level by free collective bargaining. This would acknowledge the diversity of Ontario’s universities and their respective financial situations. We also do not accept the government’s premise that compensation is the cause of the current financial situation, nor its determination, made even before commencing its consultati

Now here's a heck of a good question, headlining this Leftwords 'letter of the day'... Where is MPP when hospital needs defending? The Peterborough Examiner, Thu Jul 29 2010, Page: A4 Dear Editor, Two articles in the July 27 edition of The Peterborough Examiner struck me as ironic: the front page article "Layoff notices for 85 RNs" and on Page 3 an article "Leal defends himself." Jeff Leal attended the July 5 city council meeting where the Peterborough Regional Health Centre's financial recovery plan was discussed and on July 15 met with members of the Local Health Integration Network. He supported the same plan that starts by laying off 85 hard-working health care professionals. Ironic that Mr. Leal, who campaigned on his local ties to the community, would support such a devastating plan for PRHC and the services the hospital provides. It appears he has no interest in defending the Peterborough hospital. PETE WRIGHT Kawartha Heig

The so-called 'hospital improvement plan' (HIP) is out for Peterborough Regional Health Centre. Or at least the slide show version of it.  Instead of adopting the proposals in the Peer Review, the HIP came up with a bunch of new plans. That's hardly surprising -- the point is not "hospital improvement", the point is to cut, cut, and cut again.  The HIP proposes $23.3M in cuts and $3.7M in increased revenues (including a $2.6M increase in funding from the government). This compares with $25.7M in cuts and $1 million in increased local revenues proposed in the Peer Review. The number of beds to be cut is now 'only' 20, with perhaps some more bed cuts to come later. Despite the decrease in dollar cuts proposed in the HIP, the number of full time equivalent positions (FTEs) to be eliminated has increased.  Instead of cutting 151.5 FTEs (as proposed by the Peer Review) they are now proposing to cut 171.9 FTEs – an increase 13.5%, or 20.4FTEs. That's q

Lakridge CEO Kevin Empey says the public focus at a LHIN meeting last November "embarrassed" the government into providing a significant funding increase. Lakridge was among four hospitals in this LHIN's region that received a total of $10 million.  Empey said he understood MPPs whose constituents use Lakeridge facilities lobbied for the financial support. Elsewhere, other Liberal MPPs have been active. MPP Rick Bartolucci announced in December the funding of a whack of new Sudbury Regional Hospital convalescent beds (http://www.rickbartolucci.com/pressreleases.aspx?id=157 ) . The funding of new convalescent beds at Sudbury Regional Hospital helped deal with the overflow of hospital patients in Sudbury. Other solutions will be slower and "much harder" according to one doctor involved in the issue. In contrast, other hosptials are cutting  hospital beds with the approval of their local Liberal MPP.  Cornwall's Jim Brownell and Northumberland's Lou R

If you can judge by the attempts of Liberal MPPs to divert local communities, the local campaigns to get the McGuinty government to stop cutting local hospital services are getting stronger. One novel response is from Jim Brownell, the Liberal MPP for Stormont Dundas and South Glengarry. He has begun to promote the idea of regionalizing hospital services, suggesting that hospitals should develop ‘areas of expertise’. Brownell, I believe, is on very thin ice with his constituents. It's hard to see how the hospital services for people in Cornwall, Alexandria, and Winchester are going to benefit. Likely, people from smaller communities will have to travel to larger centres (if they can). Perhaps the smaller hospitals might work out a niche for some specialized services which they could provide to a very large catchment area. But is that really what people want from their local hospital? I doubt it. dallan@cupe.ca