Job cuts at Middlesex-London Health Unit

More than 20 MLHU workers to lose jobs The Middlesex-London Health Unit announced job losses due to a major budget shortfall. CTV's Bryan Bicknell reports.

Restructuring at the Middlesex-London Health Unit means 20.5 positions will be eliminated.

According to the health unit, the workforce is losing 13 full-time equivalent (FTE) registered nursing positions, two FTE registered dietitians, and one and a half FTE health promoter positions. MLHU’s leadership is also decreasing by one director and three managers.

“The budget pressures the MLHU is facing are considerable, and mean that we are no longer able to sustain our current or historic levels of service to the residents of London and Middlesex County,” says Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Alex Summers “These have been hard decisions to make, but despite these challenges, the health unit is committed to providing excellent and critical public health services to our community, now and in the years ahead.”

Despite increased funding from the province and municipalities, the organization is facing a budget shortfall of 2.6 to 2.8 million dollars in 2024.

Several program areas were identified for disinvestment, including significant reductions in comprehensive school health nursing, and capacity to support local municipalities in healthy public policy development.

However, certain program areas received additional investments to strengthen the agency’s capacity to meet provincial and community expectations.

These included vaccine preventable diseases, infectious disease control, and the provision of health expertise to specific health sector partners.

The new structure will be effective January 1, 2024.