/R E P E A T -- Media Advisory - Patients, care and infection control all adversely affected by HSN cuts, say staff holding rally Friday, 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m./

SUDBURY, ON, Sept 13, 2018 /CNW/ - It is untrue for hospital and regional health network administrators to suggest that patients, care levels and infection control will not be adversely affected by a new round of cuts at Health Sciences North (HSN), say front line staff. The cuts touch many areas of patient care including nursing, environmental services, administration, hospital linens, and other hospital support services.

At a rally planned for Friday, September 14, 2018 (11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.) at the Paris Street entrance to HSN, staff will be calling for adequate funding for the hospital, which operates at capacity or overcapacity almost daily.

The anticipated budget cuts in the millions of dollars will mean the elimination of hundreds of hours for cleaners and personal support workers (PSWs), and others, amounting to 113 full-time equivalent positions, and "will most certainly have a detrimental impact on patient care," says Dave Shelefontiuk, president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) 1623.

He says many aspects of direct patient care will be diminished by the proposed cuts to PSWs, down from four staff on a shift, to three. The reduction in housekeeping hours will mean some tasks will not get done and environmental cleaning will suffer.

Ontario hospitals are funded at a much lower level than hospitals in other provinces, says CUPE's Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU/CUPE) secretary-treasurer Sharon Richer.

"All these looming cuts amount to less direct care contact with patients and an increased risk of infection as patient rooms are not given a deep clean when the hospital is overcrowded," adds Richer who will be attending Friday's rally.

SOURCE Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)