Hospital cuts – who will be next?

Last week, protestors descended on Queens Park from all corners of the province to shout their dissent over a McGuinty government that has no plan to address hospital deficits and protect patients’ services.

It's disturbing that Opposition members and people right across Ontario were forced to rally - several thousand strong - to hold this government's hand to the fire and to ensure that residents are able to access the health care that they pay for.

Signs on the front lawn ranged from, "Hands off our hospital", to "Give us back our health care", to "Premier McGuinty, your health cuts threaten our health."

In February locally we learned that, beginning April 1, Norfolk General Hospital would have to eliminate an operating deficit of $1.2-million. Regrettably, Norfolk General had to look at bed closures and service cuts, including the discontinuation of an outpatient nutritional counselling program, as well as a very popular and long-term program known as the Cardiac Club. We've also seen staffing reductions at NGH in not only the administrative and support services but also in clinical areas.

Similarly, in Haldimand concern grows as the rumour mill escalates about the potential of the Emergency Department closure at West Haldimand General Hospital. This comes as a result of a LHIN clinical services review process that has just been initiated.

As I reported in my Opposition Day speech in the Ontario Legislature. “I was at a town hall meeting in Hagersville on April 8 and I can tell you that people down in Hagersville will not be content to work through this LHIN process and play by the LHIN rules, as they did in Niagara, only to face the same inevitable closures in the end.”

I wrote to the Minister of Health about this on April 9: "Whatever changes or investments are called for in this review process, Haldimand area residents wish to participate in that process. However, they want assurances that the emergency services they, their family and their neighbours depend on will not be going away under LHIN/provincial direction." Of course, the ultimate direction comes from Minister of Health David Caplan.

In Niagara, which belongs to the same LHIN as Haldimand, two hospitals have some serious problems. They too were out front at Queen's Park and had signs like "Fort Erie Says 'No.'" Another sign: "Port Colborne Wants Our Hospitals Back."

People are learning from the Emergency Department closings in Niagara. They understand that in a democracy it's elected officials who make the ultimate decisions. The Minister has the final say.

Of course, we know the history of Mr. McGuinty promising not to bring in any new taxes and then turning around and implementing the largest tax increase in the history of Ontario - the so-called health tax.

Given the fact that government is sticking its hand in our pockets at this time of year, every year, under the auspices of paying for the health tax, people want to know where those services are and why those same services are either under threats of closure or, in some cases, have actually been shut down.

And while most of the services impacted seem to be focused in rural areas, I would remind urban neighbours of the foreboding message scrawled on one protestor’s sign, “Don't feel left out - you're next”