\n
That\u2019s the question residents will be asked during a referendum aimed at safeguarding hospitals from chronic underfunding.<\/p>\n
Organizers of the upcoming vote acknowledge the answer may be painfully obvious to patients and staff affected by budget shortfalls, but they argue the response will be difficult for the province to ignore.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf they get several hundred thousand people voting, (the government) will be like, \u2018Whoa, we\u2019ve got to pay attention\u2019,\u201d Judy Hancock, co-chair of the Orillia Health Coalition told Simcoe.com during a press conference outside Soldiers\u2019 Memorial Hospital Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Orillia is one of more than 20 Ontario communities that will hold volunteer-led referendums under the umbrella of the Ontario Health Coalition.<\/p>\n
The newly minted Orillia Health Coalition will shepherd that process locally, says Hancock.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we are trying to do is put pressure on the government from a grassroots situation that this is not going to be tolerated,\u201d the retired teacher said. \u201cThe money needs to go to the basics, and cutting beds and nurses is not the way to go.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hancock lays the blame at the feet of the government, adding her husband received \u201cfabulous\u201d care at Orillia\u2019s hospital during a two-month stay.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen they cut the geriatric day care program so he couldn\u2019t go to that anymore,\u201d Hancock added. \u201cHe had to find another alternative.\u201d<\/p>\n
The referendum arrives in the wake of cuts at hospitals across Ontario, including Orillia where 16 beds are being eliminated along with the equivalent of 35 full-time jobs.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think that people in this area understand the impact it is going to have on them,\u201d said Judy Storey, a staff representative with the Ontario Public Service Employees\u2019 Union. \u201cThey need to get out and speak up. Orillia is getting hit and they don\u2019t realize how hard.\u201d<\/p>\n
Resident Isabelle Launchbury fears continued underfunding will inevitably lead to privatization of services, \u201cwhich you have to be able to afford to access.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt just goes against what I believe in,\u201d Launchbury added.<\/p>\n
The loss of beds and jobs at Orillia\u2019s hospital is a direct result of budget pressures brought on by inadequate funding, said Dr. Richard Johnston.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt this point, you\u2019ve got to stand up and protest,\u201d Johnston said.<\/p>\n
Voting for the referendum takes place at several locations: the Orillia Fairgrounds Farmers\u2019 Market on May 21 from 8 a.m.\u00ac \u2013 noon; Abernrethy\u2019s Foodland on May 24 \u2013 26 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.; the library and Orillia Farmers\u2019 Market on May 27 and 28 from 10 a.m. \u2013 1 p.m.; Mississaga Street East on May 27 and 28 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; St. Luke\u2019s Church, at Prices Corner, from 8 a.m. \u2013 noon on May 28; and St. Athanasius Anglican Church from 10 a.m. \u2013 noon on May 28.<\/p>\n
Participants must be at least 16 years of age.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Click here for original article<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"(May 18, 2016) By: Frank Matys, Orillia Today Do you oppose continued hospital cuts? That\u2019s the question residents will be asked during a referendum aimed at safeguarding hospitals from chronic underfunding. Organizers of the upcoming vote acknowledge the answer may be painfully obvious to patients and staff affected by budget shortfalls, but they argue the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4699","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ohc-in-the-news"],"yoast_head":"\n
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