The NDP’s health critic says the Wynne Liberals are doing nothing to prevent a pending hospital overcrowding crisis. France Gelinas of Nickel Belt says with flu season just around the corner, the bed crisis will only get worse. Gelinas says one Toronto hospital had to put 320 patients on stretchers in hallways and lounges over a four-month period because of cutbacks. She adds some were also treated in shower rooms. Gelinas quoted the number in the Legislature from internal documents the New Democrats secured through Freedom of Information laws. Gelinas says the hospital in question was Humber River Hospital in Toronto. She says last January hospital staff had to use unconventional beds to admit 94 patients. The next month a further 97 patients saw these unconventional bed treatment services. The number fell to 61 in March and then climbed slightly in April to 68 patients. Gelinas says if hospital overcrowding is this bad now, it will only worsen once flu season arrives. The New Democrat is certain bad times lie ahead. Gelinas says the Wynne Liberals caused the problem but she adds they seemed determined to ignore it. Gelinas says with nothing happening to ease the strain and flu season just around the corner, she believes hospital overcrowding will worsen.
(Written By: Rocco Frangione)
