Dear Premier Ford:
I am writing to you about the state of health care in Ontario. I write as a Conservative, but not as an extreme right-wing whacko. In fact, I kind of like the name of that new organization in Western Canada that calls itself “Centre Ice Conservatives.” It suits me to a tee, and much better I think than ‘Red Tory’. I also voted for you in the last two provincial elections.
But we have a problem here Premier, that needs to be addressed. I know that government cannot be all things to all people. I also know that health care is a dual responsibility of both the federal and provincial governments and that the serious problems we currently face related to failures in our health care system are Canada-wide, and not just in Ontario.
I do believe however, that there are remedies that can be applied here and now under your jurisdiction. They will not entirely fix the situation, but they can certainly ease the pain.
A good start would be to repeal Bill 124, legislation that has limited salary increases to some health care professionals working in the public sector, most especially registered nurses, to 1% annually, over at least a three-year period.
It may be no coincidence that we now we have a critical shortage of nurses in our hospitals and that many nurses are leaving the profession or moving to the private sector.
During the two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses, especially those in hospitals, were in the top tier of hands-on, front-line workers. Many of them are exhausted and worn out. Capping their salaries at 1% was a slap in the face then, and as inflation now tops 8% a very serious financial and morale problem today.
While I am not demeaning physicians in any way, I find it hard to rationalize that a nurse in an acute care setting, where his or her entire shift must be eyes and hands on very sick patients, receives around $50.00 an hour, while an Intensivist physician is paid around $450.00 an hour to be on call in the event they are needed for specialized services.
What is really unfortunate Premier is that hospitals today, facing a serious shortage of nurses, are having to deal with private agencies for nursing staff, paying them almost twice what they are allowed to pay their own hard-working nursing professionals.
How would you expect a nurse to feel about that, working side by side, doing the same job, with someone getting double the remuneration? Also, I ask respectfully, how does that help your budget? Wouldn’t it be better both for the morale of public service nurses and your budget, to use those funds to encourage public sector nurses by providing competitive salaries?
Here in Muskoka Premier, while the shortage of nurses in our hospitals is acute, it is not the only problem and I suspect this mirrors hospitals, big and small, throughout the province.
Our two hospitals are regularly on obstetrical and critical care bypass because of staff shortages. Diagnostic imaging often operates with reduced imaging or bypass. Respiratory therapy shifts are often left unfilled. Ambulance and paramedic services are also short staffed resulting in waiting times to respond to emergency calls. Here too, I am told that about 30% of hospital nurses are from agencies, again, at more than double the cost, plus room and board. Even respiratory therapists require expensive agency assistance. The bottom line is that people are not getting the care they need.
It occurs to me Premier, that many of the challenges we currently face in the health care sector are the result of staff shortages. For the life of me, I can’t figure out why. Pre-pandemic, we did not have nearly the level of staff shortages, in many sectors, but particularly in the health sector, that we have now. Where have they all gone and why can’t we get them back to work? To me, that is a key question.
What we need sir, is a made-in-Ontario plan for improving Ontario hospital health care. Only your harshest partisan critics will believe you can solve the problem overnight. But we do need a visible, cohesive, and clearly articulated plan, complete with objectives and timelines.
It can start with the repeal of Bill 124 so health care workers can believe they are being treated fairly and respected for what they do. It can include determining why we have lost so many health care workers and what we need to do to get them back. This may mean incentives and frankly, it may also require tough measures. We need to get healthcare workers who are already trained, back on the job. It would also be helpful to fast-track training for new professionals in the healthcare field.
Premier, people in this province are looking for real leadership here both from you and your Minister of Health who to date has seemed to be more on the defensive than in an action-oriented mode.
For those who have anger and hatred toward you and your government, you will be damned if you do and damned if you don’t. There will be no winning there. But to most of us, I truly believe, the most important thing is to see serious steps taken in areas where you have jurisdiction within the health care sector, especially in our hospitals, where you can make a positive difference and where reasonable people will thank you for it.
The problems are real Premier and with due respect to your Minister of Health, when people’s lives and well-being are at stake, as they are because of issues with our health care system, it does amount to a crisis.
That is why it is your leadership that is badly needed now.
Sincerely,
Hugh Mackenzie
Hugh Mackenzie has held elected office as a trustee on the Muskoka Board of Education, a Huntsville councillor, a District councillor, and mayor of Huntsville. He has also served as chairman of the District of Muskoka and as chief of staff to former premier of Ontario, Frank Miller.
Hugh has also served on a number of provincial, federal and local boards, including chair of the Ontario Health Disciplines Board, vice-chair of the Ontario Family Health Network, vice-chair of the Ontario Election Finance Commission, and board member of Roy Thomson Hall, the National Theatre School of Canada, and the Anglican Church of Canada. Locally, he has served as president of the Huntsville Rotary Club, chair of Huntsville District Memorial Hospital, chair of the Huntsville Hospital Foundation, president of Huntsville Festival of the Arts, and board member of Community Living Huntsville.
In business, Hugh Mackenzie has a background in radio and newspaper publishing. He was also a founding partner and CEO of Enterprise Canada, a national public affairs and strategic communications firm established in 1986.
Currently, Hugh is president of C3 Digital Media Inc., the parent company of Doppler Online, and he enjoys writing commentary for Huntsville Doppler.
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I can’t agree more with this letter! Mr. Mackenzie hit the nail on the head. After a horrendous experience at the Bracebridge hospital last Friday evening, I experienced first-hand what he has addressed. My husband was in the ER all night, with a ‘travelling nurse’ from Toronto (who I know was being paid double what the regular staff nurses were being paid). Despite being still seriously ill, my husband was discharged because there were no beds available. Yes, the hospital has beds, however they didn’t have the staff to care him. We are definitely in the midst of a health crisis and if the premier and health minister do not address and find solutions it is going to be catastrophic.
Yet another excellent commentary! Don’t always agree with Hugh Mackenzie and his political views, but he is right on with this letter to Mr. Ford. Now if only the government could take this good advice!