Ontario hospitals spent $9.2B on private agency nurses and staff, report finds
A new report shows Ontario hospitals spent $9.2 billion on private, for-profit nursing and staffing agencies over the past decade, a figure that doubled between 2013 and 2023. Critics of private agencies urge Ontario to phase them out, calling them a 'band-aid on a gaping wound.'
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CBC
31 minutes ago
- CBC
Medical Society of P.E.I. plans legal action over alleged breach of contract
The Medical Society of Prince Edward Island plans legal action against Health P.E.I. over an update to targets for family physicians. The society says the new targets are going to drive family physicians out of the province, and said it has been "stonewalled" when it comes to consultation with the government. Health P.E.I.'s new operational guide includes key performance indicators, or KPIs, that include a requirement that each family doctor will see 24 patients a day, based on an average appointment being 15 minutes long. It also says each full-time family doctor should have a minimum of 1,600 patients on the books. Penalties can be imposed if the minimum isn't met. "Early feedback suggests these KPIs risk making family practice unsustainable, will drive physicians out of P.E.I., and deter new physicians from practicing in P.E.I.," the medical society said in a June 3 letter to its members. "MSPEI will respond to Health PEI with legal action." Dr. Krista Cassell, the society's president, said that the targets were not discussed with doctors. She said they had been feeling good about a new contract signed just last year. "This was transformational," she said. 'It was a very competitive contract. It really was the best in the country, and we were incredibly excited for this." But Cassell said it became much harder earlier this year to have productive conversations with Health P.E.I. and the Department of Health and Wellness. Then the society learned about the new guide. CBC asked for an interview with provincial officials. It received a statement from Health P.E.I. CEO Melanie Fraser. "We are working with the Medical Society of PEI and the Government of Prince Edward Island to implement the physician services agreement in a way that supports physicians and strengthens our health-care system," said Fraser. "We are committed to doing that process within the terms of the agreement." The statement also said the province "made an historic investment of $188 million in the new physician services agreement, which puts P.E.I. longitudinal family physicians amongst the top earners in the country, with a 36 per cent increase." It also cited the ability for doctors to diversify their practice, a reduction in administrative work, and "unprecedented vacation, maternity and paternity benefits." Cassell said the agreement held a lot of potential for helping a strained health-care system. "We were excited for the potential of keeping some of our physicians that … we've been losing over the last number of years. And we were excited about the potential of recruiting more." Cassell said that collaboration is key. She said that over the past decade, members of the medical society have been "good problem solvers" with the government and Health P.E.I. But in recent weeks, Cassell said, "what we found was that not only is our input not being sought or not followed, but in fact it's been quite overtly ignored." 'Critical turning point' For Green Party MLA Matt MacFarlane, this development marks a "critical turning point" in the province's relationship with family doctors. "I really don't know why government is taking this approach.... It's been completely top-down without consultation with the physician community and it imposes some pretty serious items that the doctors are really going to struggle with," MacFarlane said.
CTV News
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Six new transitional housing beds in Sudbury
Northern Ontario Watch Greater Sudbury is funding six new transitional beds, which have been added to the Safe Harbour House on Cedar Street.
CTV News
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Community rallies to help child facing transplant
Northern Ontario Watch West Nipissing is rallying around a local family whose child was born with a rare kidney disease and needs to undergo a transplant soon.
