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Nearly 300 jobs at The Ottawa Hospital are on the chopping block.
As it tries to trim $31 million from its $1.04-billion budget for 2013-2014, the hospital announced Wednesday 290 jobs would be affected.
Of those jobs, 90 nursing jobs and 100 administrative positions will be cut, in addition to 100 other health care jobs including physiotherapists, psychologists and social workers.
Hospital president and CEO Dr. Jack Kitts told the Sun Wednesday it had informed the affected unions of the impending cuts and held ?open forums? with all hospital staff to outline the move. Individuals in the affected positions have not yet been notified, though the president of one of the unions said some managers had already informed staffers.
?They weren?t supposed to do that,? said CUPE 4000?s Bruce Waller.
The job cuts will save the hospital about $22 million, with the rest of the savings coming through other revenue sources, including ensuring payments to the hospital for services are received on time. Kitts stressed patient care won?t suffer as a result of the cuts and he doesn?t expect wait times to rise.
?(The goal) is to achieve quality care at the least cost,? said Kitts. ?What it is is really becoming more efficient.?
Kitts couldn?t say which hospital campus would be hit hardest by the cuts, saying the hospital taking a department by department approach to determine staffing needs.
To reduce the impact of the cuts, the hospital has promised to move as many of the affected employees as possible into 600 currently vacant positions.
When the hospital made cuts in 2002, just 12 non-union managers left ?involuntarily,? said Kitts.
The hope this time around is to achieve something similar. The hospital will also offer voluntary retirement packages to some staff.
Waller said he hopes most of affected workers can transition into vacant positions, but he was also being realistic.
?We still think there?s a possibility that some people still may up on the street,? he said.
Waller said health care is not the place to save money.
?We understand the government?s position, there?s a deficit,? he said. ?But are you going to take it off the backs of sick people and people who need medical attention??
Kitts also confirmed parking fees would not rise to help boost revenue.
?We don?t feel that this is an appropriate time in the current fiscal environment to ask our staff, and more importantly our visitors, to pay more,? he said.
Hospital cuts by the numbers:
Affected positions: 290, including 90 nursing jobs, 100 administrative/support and 100 other health professionals, including physiotherapists, psychologists and social workers.
Estimated savings from cuts: $22 million of estimated $31-million budget shortfall
Hospital budget for 2013-2014: $1.04 billion
Total positions at the hospital: 7,700 (full-time)
chris.hofley@sunmedia.ca
@chrishofley
Do you agree with the Ottawa Hospital cutting jobs to trim $31M from its budget?
Source: http://www.ottawasun.com/2013/01/30/ottawa-hospital-cuts-290-full-time-jobs-to-trim-31-million
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