Witmer questions cuts to nurses and doctors.

(Queen’s Park – October 23, 2008) Today in the Ontario Legislature, Progressive Conservative Health Critic, Elizabeth Witmer, pressed the Premier to notify Ontarians why he is choosing to put patients at risk by breaking his promise to fund 9,000 more nurses and more Family Health Teams.

Yesterday, the McGuinty government announced the province will face a $500 million deficit. Within just a few months the McGuinty Liberals have spent Ontario’s $5.6 billion surplus and $800 million reserve fund.

Furthermore, although the McGuinty Health Tax has taken $12.2 billion out of the pockets of hard working families, the Premier intends to reduce access to nurses, doctors and other health care providers. The McGuinty Liberals intend to cut $53 million and delay the hiring of 9,000 nurses and postpone the creation of 50 Family Health Teams. These cuts could not be happening at a worse time! Ontario already faces a serious shortage of health care professionals to meet the health care needs of Ontarians. Additionally, Ontario has a growing, aging population with rising rates of chronic diseases.

HOW DO MCGUINTY’S CUTS TO HEALTH CARE AFFECT ONTARIANS?

· There will be fewer nurses in nursing homes to care for Ontario’s seniors.
· Lengthy ER wait times will persist with fewer nurses in hospitals.
· Fewer Family Health Teams mean fewer patients will be seen.
· Fewer nurses and Family Health Teams will mean less access to care for patients with chronic diseases, such as asthma and diabetes.

ELIZABETH WITMER’S VIEWPOINT:

“The quality of care will certainly be threatened by McGuinty government’s deficit,” said Witmer. “Dalton McGuinty must ensure that he lives up to his promises to hire more nurses and create more Family Health Teams so that Ontarians can have access to the health care they need and deserve. Ontarians should not be made to suffer the consequences of these health care cuts due to the fiscal mismanagement of the Liberals.”

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For further information contact:
Elizabeth Witmer, MPP
(416) 325-1306