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NFLD's Plan To Privatize Mental Health Units A "Betrayal of our Public Health Care System" |
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Written by Wire Services
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Tuesday, 07 March 2006 |
The Newfoundland government's plan to have a private company design, build and operate a mental health unit on the province's west coast flies in the face of everything Danny Williams and his health minister have been saying about protecting our health care system.
That assessment comes today from the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), after the Health and Community Services department took out ads on the weekend seeking "Expressions of Interest" for the design, construction, maintenance and operation of residential duplexes for dementia care in Corner Brook.
CUPE National Representative Brian Farewell says, "Both the Premier and John Ottenheimer have continuously preached their total commitment to a publicly-delivered health care system. Now the province is ready to hand over subsidies to a private sector company to run a health care facility and turn a profit."
Meanwhile, CUPE Local 488 President Donna Ryan says, "There is a new long term care facility scheduled to be built in Corner Brook that will be totally public. While we knew these dementia units were coming, there was no indication whatsoever that they would be handed over to a for-profit company.
"The Department has admitted that a total of 10 nurses will be removed from the Western Health Care system as well as 28 LPN's. It's obvious that the aim is to utilize a lesser skill mix (likely Personal Care Attendants) to service the new units," says Ryan.
Adds Farewell, "Is the premier now saying that because these residents are not totally dependent on the care of others that a private system will suffice?"
Since 2003 CUPE has been working to raise awareness about the dangers of P3s (Public-Private Partnerships). CUPE officials maintain that the Newfoundland government’s plans to utilize P3s will hurt seniors’ care. Officials have told CUPE they want to cut the number of RNs and LPNs that work in long-term care, replacing them with lower-wage personal care aides.
NFLD government officials conducted a fact-finding mission to Ontario in 2003, a hotbed of long-term care privatization. Ignoring evidence about quality of care, the Newfoundland government has embraced the Ontario model of private construction, ownership, operation and maintenance of these facilities.
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