RNAO’s ongoing media profile: Your September 2024 report
Throughout the month of September, RNAO’s CEO and president were featured in media stories related to calls to close a health hub, which houses supervised consumption services (SCS) in Kingston, RNAO’s annual Fall Tour, a Toronto pilot project that stations police officers in hospital emergency rooms, a new report on agency nursing spending in Canada and ongoing leadership changes at a London hospital.
After recent violence near an Integrated Care Hub in Kingston, local mayor Bryan Paterson called for the site to be closed, stating that it is “no longer safe for people to use (Consumption and Treatment services) and we need to respond.” RNAO CEO Dr. Doris Grinspun penned a letter to the editor in response to Mayor Paterson’s remarks. She said that “calls for the closure of this hub by the mayor of Kingston will not guarantee or improve safety in the community,” (Kingston Whig Standard, Sept. 20). She highlighted that this hub provides essential health services and support services that will help reduce violence. Grinspun said that withdrawing health services is not the answer and that the mayor ought to know how important this hub is for those in his community who rely on its services. We urge you to sign RNAO’s Action Alert to call on Premier Ford to reverse his decision to close SCS sites.
RNAO’s 10th-annual Fall Tour took place between Sept. 19 and Oct. 1 with President NP Lhamo Dolkar, Immediate-Past President Dr. Claudette Holloway and Grinspun taking part in visits across the province virtually and in person. “The Fall Tour provides nurses and nursing students with the opportunity to engage with their colleagues, share ideas and tackle issues related to their practice and the health system, as well as hear directly from the top leaders of their professional association,” said Dolkar (Sudbury.com, Sept. 18). Grinspun noted in a media release (Sept. 13) that nurses have been vocal about public health issues including supervised consumption services (SCS). “With the Ford’s government’s announcement to close 10 SCS sites, nurses are cautioning about its impact on the lives of people who use substances, health-care costs and emergency services,” said Grinspun. RNAO member Allaina Lucier spoke with Radio-Canada ahead of the Windsor Chapter visit. “It’s a chance to start the conversation and bring everybody up to speed (on important issues),” Lucier said. Learn more about RNAO’s Fall Tour on RNAO.ca.
A new pilot project will see Toronto police officers stationed inside three city emergency rooms. When someone is apprehended under the Mental Health Act, police must take them to a hospital and remain with the individual the entire time. This pilot would allow special constables to take over the safe transfer of these patients. Grinspun noted that constant police presence could dissuade people from going to the emergency room. She said a better solution is having a trained health-care worker stay with the individual instead of an officer. “There are nurses who have expertise in mental health. Why do we need the police?” (CBC News, Sept. 22).
A new report from the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions found that hospitals and nursing homes have paid $1.5 billion to for-profit staffing agencies for nursing services across the country. On Zoomer Radio (Sept. 23), Grinspun said while she understands why some nurses choose to work for agencies, the reliance on them to staff health organizations is a problem. “It puts the whole (health) system in peril,” said Grinspun.
On Sept. 25, London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) announced that members of its board of directors have resigned, and a supervisor has been appointed to run the hospital. This comes after previous news about a budget deficit at the hospital. Grinspun told London Free Press (Sept. 25) the issue facing LHSC is staffing and funding. “Nurses are paying the price every day and the patient care is being destroyed.” She highlighted that nurses are concerned about their jobs as well as other hospital staff roles. “Our members are worried not only about losing their own jobs, but also the potential elimination of support staff positions that help them provide care,” Grinspun told Radio-Canada (Sept. 25).
RNAO continues to speak out alongside its members on topics related to nursing and health. Stay up-to-date on media coverage by visiting RNAO in the news. If you’re interested in speaking with reporters on issues related to nursing, health and health care, complete a short survey.
