Straight Talk: Beds so old it’s sometimes hard to find parts

If there is job security for someone like John Hopkins it’s because hospitals are increasingly having to make do with what they have.

A maintenance mechanic with South Grey Bruce Health Services, Hopkins is continually called upon to make basic equipment repairs. That includes finding parts for aging beds at the four-site rural hospital.

“I liked tinkering with things as a kid,” says Hopkins, including destroying several of his parent’s audio tape decks by taking them apart.

The fact that somebody like Hopkins is kept frequently “tinkering” says a lot about the state of Ontario’s hospitals. Years of funding freezes are taking their toll on both staff and equipment.

Watch John’s story by clicking on the window above.