TORONTO: In a recent news release, OPSEU/SEFPO President JP Hornick says Ontario voters did not give the Ford Conservatives a mandate to start privatizing the province's public health care system.
Hornick emphasized that, "Our members are clear: they want to provide the best care possible to Ontarians," said Hornick. "The government is not providing them with the supports and resources they need to do this. Disguising privatization as innovation does not respect or value the expertise and dedication of our members."
The health crisis around medical staff shortages and staff burnout in many of the province’s hospitals has been a concern for Ontario for months. Sara Labelle, the chair of OPSEU/SEFPO's Hospital Professionals Division, pointed out that the union raised the alarm about staffing levels in hospitals and health care generally months ago.
Labelle voiced her opinion stating that this issue requires serious consideration by the Conservatives and that the provincial union has contunues to ask the Ford government to make the health crisis a priority.
"The crisis that the Conservatives keep saying isn't a crisis didn't just pop out of thin air yesterday, and it won't be solved tomorrow," said Labelle. "We need to focus all our resources on solving the staffing shortages in the public system, not create a parallel private system that will poach health professionals from public facilities."
Furthermore, OPSEU/SEFPO continues to bring focus to the consequences of Bill 124. Labelle points out that there are staffing shortages in virtually every job classification in Ontario's hospitals, and hiring and retention of staff, has been made worse by the government's Bill 124.
Labelle stated that it takes time to train qualified hospital and health care professionals, and a comprehensive plan is needed to prepare a pool of staff to shore up the ailing health care system.
She also brought attention to the fact that some privatization of diagnostic testing and rehabilitation has been what she describes as “a flop”, and that testing authorized under OHIP must compete with sports clinics for professional sports franchises in the priority queue.
"Privatization has never worked whenever it has been tried and there is zero gain," said Labelle. "We need to focus on properly staffing our hospitals and health care facilities, not play around with hidden schemes to line the pockets of Conservative friendly for-profit companies that lack expertise."
