“An appalling failure to plan:” new research to reveal shortfall in planned hospital capacity in Ontario and the number of additional beds and staff required in Perth and Smith Falls

“An appalling failure to plan:” new research to reveal shortfall in planned hospital capacity in Ontario and the number of additional beds and staff required in Perth and Smith Falls

PERTH, ON – For the past two years, health minister Sylvia Jones has repeatedly stated the government’s plan to add 3,000 staffed hospital beds by 2032. But a new report shows that this will be woefully insufficient and will exacerbate overcrowding in hospitals based on projected patient needs.

Citing latest information from CIHI, Statistics Canada, and other sources, the report also shows worrying trends in the sector including a 17 per cent increase in job vacancies over the past year and a decline in hospital bed capacity since 2019.

CUPE will release the full findings of the report at 2 p.m. on Friday, including the funding required, bed capacity and staff required for Perth and Smith Falls just to maintain current levels of service.

Who:    Doug Allan, senior researcher at CUPE National

What:   Media conference to release findings of research report on the hospital capacity    and staffing crisis

Where: Perth Union Library, Frizell Room, 30 Herriott St, Perth

When:  2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 17

-30-

For more information, contact:

Zaid Noorsumar
CUPE Communications
znoorsumar@cupe.ca
647-995-9859