The Ontario Public Service Employees Union says the Fraser Institute’s recent study focusing on doctor shortages ignores the severe shortages of many hospital professionals other than doctors and nurses.
OPSEU, which represents professionals and support staff in both acute care and mental health facilities, reacted to the Fraser study released earlier today which said high labour costs in hospitals were responsible for doctor shortages.
OPSEU President Leah Casselman said the union’s thousands of members working in hospitals were offended by the study. “Our members in the allied health professions also face severe shortages. As a result, they are exhausted from working impossibly long hours, in difficult circumstances. These professionals are leaving the province, as well
as their professions, and shortages are jeopardizing patient care.”
“We do agree salaries for senior administrators are bloated. But what the people in the right-wing think tanks forget is that without our members and the services they provide, doctors would be unable to do their jobs.”
The union also rejected the report’s call for greater competition in health care. Building in profits simply makes the delivery of health care more expensive, and harms patient care, the union says. “The fiasco of so-called competitive bidding in community health care is a model our hospitals must avoid,” Casselman said.
OPSEU’s members provide diagnostic, rehabilitative and therapeutic services in hospitals across Ontario. They include x-ray and lab technologists, biomedical technologists, MRI technologists, respiratory therapists, health record professionals, social workers, pharmacists, physiotherapists, and many other professional and technical
services.
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For more information, contact
David Cox, 416-443-8888 x 314
OPSEU’s own study of hospital staff shortages can be found on line at: http://www.opseu.org/bps/health/hospital/surveysummaryleafletJan2903.PDF
