The Ontario Nurses Association (ONA) expressed concern about the announced cut by the Porcupine Public Health Unit (PPHU) of two fulltime nurse practitioners position by the end of July and with it the New Beginnings Program dealing with pre-natal and post-natal care.
The ONA asked PPHU to reconsider its cuts to the nurse practitioners positions and the New Beginnings Program saying the cuts will reduce the level of health care in Timmins particularly for the needy who are most likely to use the public health programs.
“Patients impacted by the cuts include some of our most vulnerable: immigrant families, the marginalized and children at risk of poor developmental outcomes,” Linda Haslam-Stroud, the President of ONA said, “as well as those with high-risk behaviours, such as drug-addicted pregnant women.”
The Ontario Nurses Association represents the provinces nurses and nurse practitioners.
“Nurse practitioners play an important role in providing health care,” Haslam-Stroud explained. “Perhaps more so in Timmins than in southern Ontario city’s because of the shortage of doctors in the north.”
Haslam-Stroud said that cuts to nurse practitioners are unique to the PPHU and have not been occurring in other parts of the Province.
Dr. Dennis Hong, the acting Medical Officer of Health for the Timmins-Porcupine area explained that the cuts were necessary as a result of loss of funding by a major agency sponsor whose funding ended on June 30th.
In announcing the loss of the two full time nurse practitioners position Dr. Hong said that a 3-day a week nurse practitioners position would be retained focusing on sexual health exclusively.
The PPHU announcement also said the pre-natal and post-natal program was not mandated by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
This was reflected in an inadequate level of funding provided by MOHLTC which on its own is not enough to fund two positions.
In a further response to questions asked by www.timminstoday.com Gary Schelling, PPHU Communications Specialist said the New Beginnings Program was cut because it was not being used enough to warrant keeping it.
He said it was under-utilized compared to other PPHU programs.
Haslam-Stroud however said the inadequate MHLTC funding and the loss of funding from the sponsoring agency is not a justification for cutting the nurse practitioners positions and the New Beginnings Program.
“The fact that PPHU wasn’t mandated to provide the service also is no justification for the cuts,” Haslam-Stroud stated. “Patients will go elsewhere and the costs will be absorbed by other parts of the health care system such as the more costly services provided by hospital and doctors.”
Haslam recommended that PPHU approach other agencies for funds or look at other ways to cut costs in their budget other than cutting the nurse practitioners positions.
Other alternatives she recommended were for PPHU to re-apply to Ministry of Health for additional funding and also to Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) which determines regional health priority spending within its region.
In terms of finding alternative funding sources, Schelling said the Porcupine Public Health Unit has no plans to do so right now.
