In his 30-year career as a nurse at Bruyere Health, Douglas Currier has never seen staff so thoroughly demoralized. Chronic understaffing and perpetual overwork have left workers burnt out.

But instead of getting a reprieve in the form of additional staffing, provincial funding cuts have prompted the hospital to announce 55 layoffs: 46 personal care aides, PCAs, and nine nurses.

Currier, the president of CUPE 4540, which represents about 850 staff at Bruyere, said he was shocked to hear that people were being laid off when the hospital clearly needed more staff.

“It’s mind-boggling to hear about frontline job cuts at our hospital when care is already at breaking point,” Currier said. “I have worked as a nurse here for over 30 years and I have never seen this level of exhaustion among staff. The staffing shortage is already hurting our ability to provide quality care – more cuts will be devastating for our community.”

Currier said eliminating 46 PCAs would increase for undermine patient hygiene and safety and increase workloads for nurses who are already embattled by short-staffing – and facing cuts to their own staff complement. PCAs are responsible for providing personal support services including bathing and toileting patients while also aiding nurses in providing medical care.

“The current PCA staffing levels are not good enough to meet patients’ needs in a timely manner,” he said. “What happens after these cuts, who is going to make sure patients are toileted and bathed on time? How about safety during code blues and code whites, when nurses are mobilized off the unit – who looks after patients at risk of falling?”  

Michael Hurley, president of CUPE’s Ontario Council of Hospital Unions, blamed the provincial government for cutting hospital funding at the expense of vulnerable patients and dedicated health care workers.

“The people in this community have come to rely on Bruyere for world-class care,” he said. “Patients are going to suffer consequences of depleted workforce, including higher rates of medical errors, hospital acquired infections and other very serious repercussions.”

The government’s fall economic statement shows a plan to cut funding in real terms by 10%, according to CUPE.

In October, the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario projected a reduction in 9,000 nursing and PSW positions by 2027-28 based on the government’s spending plan. CUPE estimates 725 of those jobs would be eliminated in Ottawa, including the cuts at Bruyere.

Currier said Bruyere Health was a renowned institution with a tradition of care and service going back nearly 100 years. He said there has always been a strong sense of loyalty among staff towards the hospital, but in recent years that sentiment has weakened.

“Staff are increasingly burdened with heavier workloads and moral distress. In a recent survey, 67% of CUPE workers said they work through their scheduled breaks due to understaffing. Our ability to provide quality care is severely compromised,” he said. “To witness cuts on top of that? That’s unbelievable.”

“We are witnessing the gradual demise of a beloved community hospital, and I find that heartbreaking,” he added.