VIDEO 80 Jobs to be Cut at Windsor Regional Hospital

There are job losses at Windsor Regional Hospital 

President CEO David Musyj provided a fiscal update on Friday and announced cost improvements will result in approximately 80 staff reductions, mostly in food services and housekeeping.

Musyj said the decision was made after an external review was done by the Erie St. Clair Local Health Integration Network and Ministry of Health to look at realigning programs, management and funding with other Ontario hospitals. 

Musyj stated it needs to find $7.3-million in savings for a balanced budget in the next couple of years.

20 staff have already lost their jobs and other layoffs will take place over the next month or two.

Musyj insisted the job losses will not affect clinical services and front line care. 

"No clinical services will be negatively impacted," he says.  "However unfortunately we have made certain investments in say housekeeping and in food and nutrition where our patient satisfaction scores for food are some of the highest in the province."

The cuts are necessary in that area, to align with other hospitals in the province says Musyj.

Although direct patient care won't be affected, Musyj says it may take longer for patients to get a bed.

"Once a patient is admitted, we pride ourselves within three hours they are in an inpatient bed, what does that require? Housekeeping staff so we are going to struggle a bit on that because we are going to continue to work on that but in large part that has a lot to do with housekeepers cleaning that bed."

He adds most of the cuts will take place through attrition and retirement.

The hospital will receive $8.2-million in one time funding this year, specifically to help offset its debt, but the review noted there is work to be done toward a balanced operating position.

The bottom line says Musyj, "we are not funded for the type of patients we are seeing," given the population, which in some cases, is going to the hospital without primary care or with more than one medical issue.

The review also pointed out the aging infrastructure and power plant are challenges for maintaining a safe and cost -effective environment.

Musyj also points out the senior team took a 3% cut.