WINNIPEG WEATHER

MORE HEALTHCARE CUTS TO FRONT-LINE SERVICES

For months it has been known that changes were coming to the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) as they struggle to meet budget and staffing requirements imposed on then from the province.

Last month they announced the layoff of 137 management positions and prior to that they announced the closure of three emergency rooms and the creation of two urgent care centres to take their place.

When the announcement to close emergency rooms was made, then president of the WRHA, Milton Sussman, said publicly that no front-line workers at any of the affected facilities would lose their jobs but that those jobs may move to different facilities within the region.

As part of the budget cuts the WRHA will also be increasing the number of patients to health care aide ratios which will mean a reduction in the number of health care aides working in hospital.

Nursing ratios in hospitals will also be affected as the WRHA realigns the services it will provide, which will result in job cuts to the number of positions within facilities.

In a letter to staff within the WRHA interim president Real Cloutier said ” Initiatives announced today include changes that will impact our staffing ratios and staff mix. Based on assessments conducted by KPMG in the Health System Sustainability and Innovation Review, staffing levels in the region are higher than other Canadian jurisdictions.”

“Some of the changes announced today required us to make some difficult decisions around what services we will continue to offer our patients and their families.” Cloutier said.

Also on the chopping block are four of the five Winnipeg Quick Care Clinics. The clinic located on McGregor will remain open for now. With the closure of the clinics the WRHA will increase hours at the Access Centres within the city. Staff will be transferred to the Access Centres once the clinics close. The closure of the Quick Care Clinics are expected to save the region about $900,000 annually.

Responsibility for cancer clinics will now fall under Cancer Care Manitoba

Out-Patient physiotherapy and occupational therapy services will also see changes that will see these services dropped from the in-hospital model to a private provider model by mid-October. There will be a provision for the services at Health Sciences Centre (HSC) for those who are low income and cannot afford private services.

Changes to food services are also in the works but specifics have not been announced although it has been indicated that patient food from facilities with kitchens, like at Deer Lodge Centre will no longer be made in-house and will come from the Regional Distribution Facility. 

Fees will also increase for some programs across the region for senior services. The daily fee for the adult program will increase from $8.85 to $17.70, for example. Optional transportation fees for the geriatric day hospital program will increase 33% from $10 to $15 per day.

Services currently offered at the Mature Women’s Centre located in Victoria Hospital will be moved to gynaecologists and obstetricians by October 1, 2017. If patients need specialized care they will be treated at HSC

 

 

-News 4 –

 

 

 

© 2107 News4, a DigiPix Media Group company

 

 

 

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