88% of Northern Ontario hospital workers not confident about Ford government’s health sector plan, 49% considering leaving: new poll

NORTH BAY, ON –/COMMUNITYWIRE/– A new poll paints a grim picture about the staffing crisis in Northern Ontario hospitals, as 90 per cent of workers say there are not enough staff to provide high quality patient care, and nearly half are contemplating leaving their jobs within the next year amidst high stress levels, exhaustion, and anxiety. Eighty-eight per cent of staff also reported lack of confidence about the government improving public health care in the next year.

The polling firm Nanos Research surveyed more than 750 hospital workers represented by CUPE’s Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU/CUPE) across the province, including registered practical nurses, personal support workers, housekeepers, and clerical staff working in North Bay. OCHU/CUPE represents approximately 50,000 hospital staff across the province.

Sharon Richer, secretary-treasurer of OCHU/CUPE, said the sector continues to lose trained and experienced staff due to poor working conditions and eventual burnout amidst poor stewardship of the system from the Ford government.

“The results are alarming to say the least, particularly in Northern Ontario. How are we going to keep our hospitals functioning without staff?” said Richer, “It’s shocking to note that the government doesn’t have a retention plan, even as we see staffing shortages contributing to a record number of ER shutdowns, and hospital service closures. The whole system depends on workers – and yet their needs continue to be neglected.”

The survey revealed the mental health toll of working in Northern Ontario’s hospitals: 81 per cent of workers polled said they had high stress levels; 58 per cent reported dreading going to work; and 53 per cent said they had trouble sleeping. Fifty per cent also said they were dissatisfied with compensation.

“Workers are stressed out because their patients are suffering, they are stressed out because working overtime and skipping breaks is not enough, they are stressed out because they can see the Tories are not interested in addressing their working conditions or providing them fair compensation. Consequently, they simply end up leaving because they lose faith in the system,” Richer said.

Dave Verch, first vice president of OCHU/CUPE, said the government must invest an additional $1.25 billion annually on top of inflation for the next four years to improve staffing levels and boost capacity, which will help hospitals provide services in accordance with population growth and ageing-related surge in demand.

Rolled into the union’s demand to improve staffing levels is a proposal for staff-to-patient ratios in Ontario’s hospitals as a key measure to improve working conditions.

Verch pointed out that research from California – which implemented staffing ratios two decades ago – shows higher satisfaction among workers who benefit from more reasonable workloads, as well as improvement in patient care including lower mortality rates. In 2023, British Columbia became the first province in Canada to introduce nurse-to-patient ratios.

“Staffing ratios would make a huge difference by setting a minimum standard of care,” Verch said, drawing on his 30-year experience of working as an RPN. “At a time when workers are losing faith in the system, it would offer a glimmer of hope that the government is serious about fixing this crisis.”

However, the government must take other complementary measures, he said, calling for fair compensation and more full-time jobs as part of a broader human resources strategy.

Highlights from the poll of Northern Ontario hospital workers

• 88 per cent say they are not confident (81 per cent) or somewhat not confident (7 per cent) about the government improving the health care system in the next year.
• 90 per cent say they are not staffed well enough to deliver high quality patient care.
• 49 per cent are considering or somewhat considering leaving the sector in the next year.
• 50 per cent of workers say they are unhappy with their compensation.
• As a result of their working conditions, 81 per cent have high stress levels, 58 per cent dread going to work, and 53 per cent say they have trouble sleeping.

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For more information, contact:

Zaid Noorsumar, CUPE Communications
znoorsumar@cupe.ca
416-559-9300