Ontario health-care needs significant government funding: OMA
Doctors across the province are shining a spotlight on some of the most significant needs facing the health-care sector ahead of the provincial election.
With voters set to head to the polls in one month, the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) says there are some key priorities that must be addressed by whichever party forms government next month.
"We are experiencing incredible pressure around wait times," says Dr. Rose Zacharias, OMA president-elect. "We know wait times are the number one concern of people across the province post-pandemic."
Zacharias says the health-care sector continues to be plagued by delayed procedures, with about 21 million delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But she says morale is at extremely low levels, with burnout a real issue many doctors face.
Physician burnout is a problem that is top of mind for management at Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital.
"We've got people working double shifts. It means we've got people cancelling vacations to help out our team members. It means every shift potentially is working short," says Dr. Nancy Merrow, the chief of staff and vice president of medical affairs.
With approximately 1,000 surgeries backlogged, Merrow says the hospital is working to improve staff morale as best as possible, arguing the problem can't be fixed with burned-out staff.
"The well-being and safety and health of all of those doctors and nurses and allied health and staff is as important as the health and well-being as the patients they are taking care of," says Merrow.
"That's the paradigm that we need to shift this health-care system into for the long run."
The OMA is calling on the federal government to increase its investment in health-care systems across the country, arguing more funding is needed to hire and train new doctors.
"In years past, it's been a 22 per cent portion, and we are calling on Canada to increase that to 35 per cent, and with that, it would inject billions of dollars into the health-care system to indeed follow our prescription for Ontario," concludes Zacharias.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.