Ontario hospital unions believe healthcare needs to be #1 election issue

Healthcare advocates want their concerns front and centre when Ontarians go to the polls on Thursday. CTV London’s Scott Miller reports.

Ontario’s Hospital Unions wheeled out hospital beds on the front lawn of the Durham Hospital Tuesday to try and get more people talking about healthcare – days before Ontarians head to the polls.

“Right here in Ontario, we have 250,000 people waiting on a surgery list. Now, can you imagine if you’ve been waiting for surgery, and the list just continues to grow?” said Sharon Richer from the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions.

The Ontario Council of Hospital Unions brought their “stretcher tour” to Durham and Walkerton Tuesday. Both communities have seen their share of healthcare problems.

Walkerton made headlines in January after more than 1,000 people lined up in a snowstorm for a shot at a family doctor.

Durham’s hospital saw its emergency department hours reduced to 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. last March, and then in June all 10 of Durham’s inpatient beds were moved to other hospitals.

“There were no members of the community consulted. There were no members of the community present. The local elected representatives were not even told until after it was over. And they made the decision to do this. They can’t make decisions like that without the ascent of the Minister of Health. So, you know, I think it’s time to look at that relationship,” said Grey-Bruce Health Coalition Co-Chair Brenda Scott.

“We have community members who are waiting for care who have spent their tax money to build this hospital, and they want answers to why this emergency department keeps closing,” said Richer.

The Ministry of Health said they are spending more than any other Ontario government ever has on healthcare, and many key health indicators are beginning to improve, including a decline in the use of agency nurses.

But residents are frustrated that local Conservative candidates, especially in Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, have not appeared at any healthcare-focused all-candidate debates leading up to Thursday’s election.

“It is the hot topic (healthcare) and it’s a frightfulness that the Conservative government and Doug Ford has of the topic, and they don’t want to address it and certainly don’t want to put anything into it, or put themselves out there to face the voices of the public at this point in time,” said Municipality of West Grey Mayor Kevin Eccles.

What the people at the “stretcher tour” stops in Durham and Walkerton want to see is a more responsive Conservative government, or a different government altogether come Friday.

“We’re hoping to see that people will vote for change, or at the very least, if they (Progressive Conservatives) get back in, to cut down the majority. And for God’s sakes, please get a new health minister,” said Scott.

“Why don’t they have family doctors? Why can’t I have surgery at a reasonable time? This is the stuff that we wanted to talk about, prior to the election,” said Richer.