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OTTAWA, Ont. – The union representing over 800 dedicated frontline staff at Bruyère Continuing Care in Ottawa is warning residents and families of looming cuts that will undermine the quality of care, after learning this week that management is planning to gradually eliminate Personal Care Attendants (PCA) amid drastic bed reductions in geriatric rehab, stroke rehab and palliative care, as well as service cuts in environmental, food services and other areas.
“Our members are the backbone of this facility, providing frontline care to residents,” said Brian Grant, president of Local 4540 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). “We are the workers who bathe and feed your loved ones, and we provide therapies and treatments that our patients so desperately need.”
In outlining proposed cuts, Bruyère cited a 4.2 million dollar deficit. While CUPE has not received all the details, planned cuts could include the following:
- Elimination of 10 geriatric rehab beds
- Elimination of 10 stroke rehab beds
- Elimination of 5 palliative care beds
- Service cuts in environmental services and food services
- Elimination of ward clerk positions, porter positions, rehab assistance positions
- Gradual elimination of the Personal Care Attendant classification (PCA)
- Large job losses affecting bed side care.
“CUPE has long advocated for more hours of care, per resident, to improve standards,” said CUPE National Representative Nathalie Stringer. “Unfortunately management at Bruyère Continuing Care is lowering the standards of care with these cuts. That’s why we are reaching out to families of patients and residents to contact management and their local MPP to demand better funding and a stop to these cuts.”
“We provide around-the-clock care to our patients and residents, under growing workloads and increasing pressures, with fewer resources to deliver safe, kind, care,” said Grant. “Our clients are among the most vulnerable people in our society, and they deserve the highest standard of care. We are committed to continue providing the best care possible, and that’s why we must speak out for our patients. These cuts will have a dramatic impact on how care will be delivered, if they are implemented.”
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For more information, please contact:
Brian Grant, President CUPE 4540: 613-863-4540
Nathalie Stringer, CUPE National Representative: 613-806-2250
