Health Sciences North's plan to cut 76 jobs on hold as NE LHIN orders third party review

The hospital in Sudbury says it wants to cut 76 full-time equivalent positions to help balance its budget, but says it can't until the plan is reviewed by the North East Local Health Integration Network (NE LHIN).

Health Sciences North says its board of directors has approved a $505.8 million budget for the 2018-2019 fiscal year. It says the plan includes no bed closures and a $1.4 million increase in clinical departments including a new pain management clinic.

However to get there, the hospital says it's looking to cut 76 full time unionized jobs, reduce outside clinical departments by $6.9 million and reduce the capital budget for renovations, equipment and information technology by 23 per cent.

The hospital says 37 management and non-unionized positions have already been eliminated.

Despite the budget being approved by the board of directors, it says it can't put the plan into place due to the NE LHIN.

"The HSN board was informed by the NE LHIN on April 12 that it would conduct by June 30 a third party validation of the approved budget as well as systemic review of the pressures that our health system is experiencing," the hospital said in a statement.

"The LHIN says this is needed because it is concerned with the magnitude, pace and impacts of HSN's plan to live within its means."

The hospital says senior leadership and the board will work closely with the NE LHIN. It says "a timely implementation is of the utmost importance as every week of delay will cost $250,000."

HSN board chair Nicole Everest says the board hopes to deal with many of the job losses through attrition and retirement, pointing out 184 employees are eligible for a reduced pension by 2019.

Due diligence

Kate Fyfe is the NE LHIN's vice-president of performance and accountability. She notes the number of job cuts was among the reasons the province-mandated organization asked for the review.

"We're wanting to ensure that we're not making changes that will negatively impact our Northerners in being able to receive care in their communities and close to home," explained Fyfe.

Everest says HSN's board of directors welcomes the review.

"Who knows? We may find out through this process that it will validate that there are many areas where HSN is underfunded, and we will work with the LHIN in a collaborative model here to ensure we get the funding we deserve here for the northeast region," noted Everest.

Everest explained that since the planned job cuts are on hold until after the review, none of the people who were slated to lose their jobs have been notified.

Fyfe adds the NE LHIN is aware that could create a nervous work environment, as the review is scheduled to last more than two months.

"We absolutely want to ensure we move forward as quickly as possible so that people have certainty in how they will be impacted, if they will be impacted," said Fyfe.

"At the same time, we want to make sure the due diligence is done, and the hospital has the time required to have those discussions with community partners and that we are working together as a health system."

'Not a happy camper'

Dave Shelefontiuk is the president of CUPE Local 1623, which represents the hospital's cleaning and clerical staff. He says about 60 of the cuts will directly affect his members, though he adds the overall impact will be far greater.

"I know the LHIN and the (hospital) board said they couldn't hit clinical areas as hard as non-clinical. In my mind, that makes no sense," says Shelefontiuk.

"We're all a team, we're supposed to work together, we're all interconnected. But apparently if I don't touch a patient, I'm non-clinical, even though I have to clean that room, disinfect it...but (hospital executives) don't look at it that way. I'm not a happy camper."

Shelefontiuk said he's frustrated results of the review won't come until after the upcoming provincial election in June. He explained that while many workers at HSN may be eligible to retire in the next few years, he doesn't believe many plan to.

He added the hospital must find other ways to save money.

"We're bare bones as it is," said Shelefontiuk. "(These cuts) are going to have an impact on patients, it's going to have an impact on the environment of the hospital, as far as cleanliness and the mental health of individuals. We can't take any more cuts."