A new report crunched the numbers from three key promises made by Premier Doug Ford and said patients in Windsor-Essex could see cuts to health services unless there's new investment in hospitals.
The Ontario Council of Hospital Unions plans to release a report called, "It Can Be Fixed" Thursday, October 18 at MacKenzie Hall in Windsor.
A release from the council said, "patients will not escape the impact of cutbacks resulting from the combination of a four per cent spending cuts, $7-billion in tax cuts, and a drive for a balanced budget all promised by the Ontario's Progressive Conservatives."
During this spring's election campaign, Ford promised to end "hallway medicine". Earlier this month, his government pledged another 640 beds for the flu season, but the council said, "troublingly, this is significantly less than the 1,200 flu season beds announced last fall by the previous government."
The research by the Canadian Union of Public Employees makes several recommendations to end hallway medicine.
"We can end hallway medicine by making investments to meet the needs of an ageing and growing population. These additional investments are not permanent, but they are needed for the life of the baby boom generation," said Michael Hurley, president of the council. "Windsor-Essex hospitals, already dealing with overcapacity and years of underfunding, will not be able to maintain the quality of patient care in the face of demographic pressures without these investments."
