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Local 368 NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 18, 2006 Privatization by stealth for outpatients in Clarington User fees on radiology could be next, union warns BOWMANVILLE: Outpatients needing x-ray and ultrasound examinations in Clarington will soon have to visit a private clinic rather than the hospital, the union representing technologists at Lakeridge Health says. Ontario Public Service Employees Union Local 348 president Leslie Sanders said the hospital's planned layoffs would reduce the level of service available to patients in the Bowmanville hospital. Instead, outpatients would likely be directed to a private clinic. "This change amounts to privatization by stealth," said Sanders. "By cutting these services in the hospital, Lakeridge is effectively moving this work to another entity, forcing clients to turn to a private clinic for service." The hospital told the union it planned to reduce x-ray and ultrasound staffing from more than seven full-time-equivalent positions to three positions. Because of this plan, technologists at the hospital face layoffs and uncertainty, says the union. "When health care services are contracted out, it creates chaos for health care workers as well as patients," Sanders added. "Our community could even lose some of these highly trained professionals whose skills are very much in demand." The union warned that the privatization of hospital services could ultimately make it easier for the government to move these services out of OHIP altogether. "Once services are moved out of the hospital, what's left to stop the government from moving to user-pay for these now-private services, as it recently did with physiotherapy and eye exams?" she asked. -30- Further information:
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Ontario Public Service Employees Union, 100 Lesmill Rd. Toronto, ON M3B 3P8 (416) 443-8888 www.opseu.org |
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