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OHA snippy about lack of health care planning

Posted on May 7, 2013 | Leave a comment

Last week’s provincial budget was accompanied by an uncharacteristic snippy release from the Ontario Hospital Association expressing disappointment.

While OHA CEO Pat Campbell says there are a few positive initiatives for hospitals and the health care system, the chief complaint is over the lack of a comprehensive capacity plan.

That’s likely a fancy way of saying the government is cutting the heck out of us, putting some of that money elsewhere, and hoping it all balances out okay. If we are looking for any more sophistication than that from government, we’re likely to be disappointed.

Health Minister Deb Matthews has repeatedly said that downsizing hospitals in favor of more community based care is the plan. In the budget they go as far as listing endoscopies, dialysis and vision care as the next wave of services to be divested to not-for-profit clinics, even if no evidence is presented on costs.

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Visible tattoos and piercings on hospital staff okay — arbitrator

Posted on January 21, 2013 | 1 comment

The Ottawa Hospital was attempting to fix a problem that didn’t exist when it unilaterally imposed a new dress code on employees according to a recent arbitration decision.

Most contentious was a requirement that workers at the hospital cover up large tattoos as well as prohibiting “visible, excessive body piercings.”

The Ottawa Hospital also stopped certain workers from wearing jeans and Bermuda shorts and insisted nurses wear lab coats in the hospital while off duty.

All of these restrictions were struck down in the January 14th decision following a 2010 policy grievance by CUPE Local 4000.

Arbitrator Lorne Slotnick stated in his ruling: “the employer’s argument is explicitly based on its willingness to accept and acquiesce to patients’ perceived prejudices and stereotypes about tattoos and piercings, even as it offers no evidence that these have any impact on health outcomes… The hospital could not and would not accede to the wishes of a patient who might be uncomfortable with a care provider based on the employee’s race or ethnic identity, even though some patients might harbour those types of prejudices.”

Slotnick said that no patient was being forced to “accept” tattoos, but instead were receiving care from many individuals who reflected the diversity expected in a big city.

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