Health care workers want answers on cuts

As several community hospitals phase out emergency room departments, staff at the Health Sciences Centre say they are burdened with the difference.

On July 6, the Canadian Union of Public Employees were joined by HSC staff on Notre Dame Avenue outside of HSC to picket to passersby, aiming to communicate the challenges they are facing following recent health care cuts.

The picket line is one of many responses throughout the city in reaction to the closure of ERs at Victoria and Seven Oaks hospitals, to be replaced with urgent care centres, while Concordia’s ER will be completely shut down.

The Misericordia Health Centre, which did operate a 24-hour urgent care clinic, will be closed and converted to a community intravenous therapy clinic. The centre will still treat patients needing urgent eye care 24 hours a day.

HSC has not had any changes, and that’s what staff say is the issue — they need more people to take care of the patients being diverted to their location, but they say government isn’t organizing transfers.

"We’re currently understaffed, overworked, the morale is really, really low right now," HSC health care support worker and CUPE 1550 vice-president Jamie Johnston said. "The government isn’t talking to us. They haven’t told us anything. I feel they’re very disorganized and we’re scared."

Johnston said patients are being affected by the changes, as well.

"People are being asked to do double the assignments, and that’s affecting patient care," he said. "People need to be aware, it could be your family member, and we need more people, not cuts."

CUPE member David Jacks was out for the picket, which saw dozens of folks holding signs and flags, some asking drivers to honk if they disagree with the cuts.

"There’s been no announcement, no plan to increase resources at HSC, so people are being sent from other hospitals with closed ERs there. Staff here are already overworked, undervalued… and we’re really concerned," Jacks said.

The group picketed for two hours in the morning, two at lunch and another two during rush hour in the evening.

"The message we want to get out there is we’re very concerned about the restructuring and the unknowns," Johnston said.

Calls to the province for comment were not returned by press time.