Copy of a letter sent to me Feb 14/24 from Niagara Health Lynn Guerriero; Fort Erie Healthcare SOS response Feb 26/24 - Niagara Falls review headline Feb 3/24
"Dear Ms. Kelley
I'm writing regarding your recent public speech expressing concerns regarding healthcare in Niagara and Ontario. A clip of your speech, given on Saturday, Feb. 3 in Niagara Falls was brought to my attention by hospital staff.
As I have repeatedly and publicly stated, I respect your right to voice your opinion about changes in the healthcare system and appreciate your passion for doing so. However, I take issue with your message as it was in accurate and a mischaracterization of the facts. During your talk, you erroneously claimed that I said " our hospitals are in a deficit because too many people are using it and we have to pay too much money to our workers." You went on to call that a "big fat lie." I take offense to being called a liar having never made such statements.
Most hospitals in Ontario are facing deficits and the reasons are many and complex. It's true that we are seeing more and sicker patients which contributes to a higher cost for healthcare. As well, labour decisions made at the provincial level will impact our bottom line. But, to misrepresent and present those as facts attributed to me with disdain for our patients and staff is categorically false and unnecessarily inflammatory.
As I've said before, reducing the hours at our Urgent Care Centres was not a decision Niagara Health took lightly. It was necessary in order to keep our Emergency Departments in Niagara Falls, Welland and St. Catharines operating. Our staffing issues continue even with the reduced hours at the UCCs. As we have all seen, hospitals around the province are being forced to close EDs due to the ongoing staffing shortages. Niagara Health is lucky it hasn't had to take that step and we remain committed to avoiding ED closures.
The Fort Erie SOS group continues to spread inaccurate, and potentially dangerous, misinformation about the UCCs in Fort Erie and Port Colborne. To continue to characterize UCCs as Emergency Departments is unsafe. These facilities are not equipped to provide emergency care and anyone in those communities experiencing an emergency will have their lives put at a greater risk if they go to a UCC rather than an ED. While I appreciate we each have a different job to do, I believe we must be accountable for ensuring Niagara residents have accurate information when it comes to healthcare. I am once again asking that you stop misinforming residents about the role of the UCCs in those communities.
Regards.
Lynn Guerriero
President and CEO"
Ms. Guerriero and NH Board
While I appreciate your efforts in contacting me regarding your impressions of an address that I gave on Feb 3 in Niagara Falls your impression was quite inaccurate.
The information that I used came from a statement that Niagara Health provided to the Niagara Falls Review on Feb.2/24 regarding Niagara Health and its $12 million deficit. I quote: “Niagara Health blamed its shortfall on high labour costs, inflation and an increase in demand for hospital services as a result of the regions large aging population.”
I did not misinterpret nor misrepresent Niagara Health’s statement. Perhaps you could explain the high labour costs you were referring to and also explain how the increase in demand does not mean that too many people are using the system. In the article it says that the increase is due to the large aging population – so I’m not sure what you mean by this. Are you saying that you have not been receiving the proper funding from the Ministry of Health for the numbers of people being seen? Are you saying that Niagara Health’s new strategic plan is to drive people in small communities away from seeking healthcare they believe they need?
Fort Erie Healthcare SOS is about giving information to the community because I live here and care very deeply about the people being able to access healthcare in their own communities.
I stated what was reported in the newspaper and gave my impression of that statement. If you found my statement disdainful and inflammatory there is an entire community that has found Niagara Health’s policy egregious and which makes no sense and will only end up in lost lives because people cannot receive the timely care they need when they become ill.
In your letter you stated that the decision to reduce the Urgent Care hours was to keep the Emergency Rooms open in other communities. You also state that closing our Urgent Care has not helped to alleviate Niagara Health’s staffing issues. What I know is that Niagara Health’s decision has prevented many people in our community from being able to seek care when they need it.
You stated that Fort Erie Healthcare SOS “continues to spread inaccurate and potentially dangerous misinformation about Urgent Care Centres in Fort Erie and Port Colborne. To continue to characterize Urgent Care Centre’s as an Emergency Department is unsafe.”
I have not stated that our Urgent Care Centre in Fort Erie is an Emergency Department; I have stated and have been fighting for our Urgent Care to remain open 24/7 and further that our Douglas Memorial should return to a full-service hospital with an Emergency Department. Niagara Health expects people to know the difference between urgent and emergent care and to act according to Niagara Health’s Plan. Most people do not have medical training so when they are sick or in distress, they want to get to the closest facility and quickly get help. They are not worried about what definition or category their situation falls into.
What is unsafe is that Niagara Health appears not to have taken into account the will and the needs of the people in Fort Erie and Port Colborne. It has not bothered to hold a public forum regarding its plan nor has it put into place measures that would assist those living without means to get the help they need when they need it in a timely fashion, or to ensure family and friends can be made available to assist. I would again ask that you take into consideration the harmful effects that the closure has had and to reopen our Urgent Care back to 24/7 to take care of not only our community but to help alleviate the long wait hours in Emergency Departments in other communities.
It is imperative that the Niagara Health Board of Directors meet with our community for a common-sense approach to universal, publicly funded and accessible healthcare for Fort Erie and beyond.
For you to imply that I am misinforming people you do not have your facts straight. Should you wish to discuss further I would be more than happy to meet with you.
Respectfully,
Heather Kelley
Fort Erie Healthcare SOS
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