OHC Expresses Concern About Privatized Healthcare
Posted: August 20, 2022
(August 19, 2022)
By: 98.9 myFM News
The Ontario Healthcare Coalition says they’re on full alert regarding the possibility of the government further privatizing healthcare in the province.
OHC executive director Natalie Mehra said the throne speech and health minister Sylvia Jones comments were signs that the not-for-profit healthcare system is at risk.
The OHC said they’ll fight tooth and nail with lawyers, public pressure, and everything in between when it comes to any steps the government may take towards privatization.
Queens university professor Dr Dick Zoutman spoke to the issue as well.
With that, Ontario’s Health Minister did share plans for how the province will attempt to stabilize the health-care system on Thursday.
Sylvia Jones says it includes increasing surgeries performed at private clinics but maintaining OHIP coverage for them and temporarily paying the exam and registration fees for internationally trained nurses.
It also plans to introduce legislation today that will allow patients waiting for a long-term care bed to be transferred to a “temporary” home not of their choosing until space becomes available in their preferred home.
The plan comes as nursing staff shortages have seen emergency departments across the province close throughout the summer for hours or days at a time.