Thursday, April 2, 2009

Major Cuts to Niagara's Hospitals Threaten our Health

Niagara’s Hospitals are Particularly Hard Hit

The NHS has to find cuts to eliminate a budget deficit of approx. $16 million this year and $15 million next year, even though all experts agree that the hospital system is grossly underfunded.

The Niagara Health System has already announced major cuts to staff and services, including:
Closing the Emergency Rooms and surgical beds – and ultimately the entire hospitals in Port Colborne and Fort Erie. These ERs saw more than 40,000 patients last year -- patients who will now have to travel into St. Catharines, Welland and Niagara Falls. This is threatening to overwhelm our already overstretched ERs and hospital beds.

Closing birthing and mental health services across the peninsula – all patients will have to travel into St. Catharines further overcrowding the hospital here.

Cuts to hospital beds and other services

The hospital cuts and restructuring plan for Niagara will result in a net loss of hospital services for our whole region. We should be very concerned that our hospital cannot take the influx of patients from all across the Niagara peninsula as services are cut and closed down.

What We Can Do: Take Our Fight to Jim Bradley

Did You Know?
Ontario’s hospitals are funded $100 less per person than hospitals in other provinces. This equals $1.2 billion in total less than other provinces. McGuinty is forcing these cuts by funding the NHS at less than the rate of inflation. It is very important that our local Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) Jim Bradley, hears from us in St. Catharines, that we are concerned and want him to stop the cuts.

April 4 : Mass leafleting day.
Join us at the market square at 8:00 am or at the CAW Hall, 124 Bunting
St. Catharines at Noon . We will be leafleting for two hours.

April 8: Planning Meeting Niagara Health Coalition
CAW Hall , 124 Bunting RD, 7:00 pm

April 18: Join in the Cross Province Protest at
Jim Bradley’s office at noon. Unit 2, 2 Secord Drive, St. Catharines,

Write/call/email Jim Bradley our local MPP:
Unit 2, 2 Secord Drive, St. Catharines, ON, L2N 1K8
T: 905-935-0018 F: 905-935-0191 E: jbradley.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
Write/call/email Premier Dalton McGuinty:
Room 281, Main Legislative Building, Queen’s Park, Toronto, ON, M7A 1A4
T: 416-325-1941 F: 416-325-3745 E: dmcguinty.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

Volunteer with the Niagara Health Coalition: 905-932-1646