The North Bay Regional Health Centre (NBRHC) confirms it met with union partners on Monday to notify them of changes impacting 36 positions, including some in patient care areas.
Paul Heinrich, NBRHC President and CEO, says eleven are vacant positions, with 14 new positions being added.
“These changes come from two places; adjustments to the mix of healthcare providers on our units and looking at how we can run our services as efficiently as possible,” he says. “Patient needs are growing more complex as the population ages and the burden of chronic illness increases. Older adults are more likely to live with multiple coexisting conditions. Realigning our skill mix allows us to better respond to changing needs earlier, reduce preventable escalations and deliver more consistent care.”
Heinrich says they are focused on minimizing the impact on staff through attrition, retirements and redeployment options.
“The savings via these changes are about $1 million, which is 0.3% of our $350 million budget,” he adds.
CUPE, meantime, confirms it’s facing a net loss of 14 health care workers, mainly PSWs and clerical staff.
“These health care cuts will have consequences for vulnerable people in our community, particularly mental health and senior patients who have greater needs,” says Mike Turgeon, CUPE 139 president, representing approx. 1,100 staff at NBRHC. “This is a direct consequence of the government’s refusal to fully cover the operational costs of hospitals in North Bay, and across Ontario. The NBRHC offers specialized services in the form of acute care and mental health in one facility, and thereby needs to be funded accordingly. The fact that we are facing more cuts every year is an indictment of this government’s management of our public hospitals.”
The union says the hospital is eliminating 26 positions from the CUPE bargaining unit, while creating 12 new positions.
