THUNDER BAY -- Union representatives are calling for immediate government intervention regarding the crisis of under-funding and staffing in local health-care facilities.
Unifor Local 299 President Kerri Jefford strongly believes the time has come to demand the Provincial and Federal government take immediate action.
"Unfortunately, the reality is that staff do not have the time and resources to provide adequate care," Jefford said Tuesday during Unifor's media conference.
Everyday health-care staff are feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, and exhausted because of the lack of time and support they have for each patient.
“We are at a crisis level for our workers as well,” Jefford said. “I’ve had four investigations in a two week period where I was afraid four of our health care workers were suicidal.”
Jefford believes both government and employers have a role to play when it comes to the responsibility of the situation.
The government is in control of measures and accountability of funding and employers also have a role to play when municipal, not-for-profit and for-profit long-term care homes are running a lot different from one another.
She said the government has set up a system where there’s more private for-profit long-term care facilities by two-thirds more than anywhere else in Ontario.
“There are no rules saying that you have to spend, much on nursing or so much for staff and you have to have so many therapies,” she said.
“There are none of those rules in place, so the employers in particular are making money, millions and millions of dollars a year off providing the service or quality of care that Canadians deserve.”
The health care system is in dire need of appropriate regulations such as a minimum staffing ratio, which would allow health care professionals to provide better care for patients.
“Let the employers decided how much is decided upon each day, so perhaps you have your whole complement of nursing staff, which is a staffing ratio much better than one to 11, it could be one to six,” Jefford said.
Instead of six minutes, health care staff would have nine minutes in a day to offer hands-on care for getting someone ready for the morning.
Jefford added the health care system needs to go back to a more public not-for-profit model.
“The rules must be clear, you must have these rules in place to ensure that the care is provided to the residents and to the patients, not to the pocket of the investors.”
