Dear Editor:
I recently heard on the news that the Ford government would like general practitioners (GP) to work extra hours to alleviate the burden on our health care system in the hospitals.
My GP works long hours and has a staff to pay as well as a family to care for. She is a leader in her community and has always given 110%; to ask her to give more is unfair and shows the complete lack of understanding of our healthcare situation in Ontario. She herself has gotten sick because she is tired and working so hard. We are failing!
No matter how many beds Doug Ford opens up in our hospitals, it will not change the fact that if there are no doctors or nurses to staff them – it is pointless.
The government is surprised that all of a sudden people are getting sick and our hospitals can’t keep up. Well, it’s a lack of forethought that come flu season in a province that for the last two years was masked and unable to go to family functions, school or work due to a pandemic all of a sudden the flu and COVID and RSV would hit us hard.
The kids in schools are maskless, coughing and snotting and sharing their germs with everyone. Companies have asked their staff to come back and work even while they have COVID-19. Airports now will fly anyone without proof of vaccination and without a mask mandate – again they are surprised?
I understand the Ontario Parliament had their last sitting Dec. 8 and then are off until Feb. 20. Here is a suggestion to assist all those nurses and doctors working in hospitals caring for their patients. Have your staff help them. Yep, Ford and Jones, donate your time to comfort those in waiting rooms, change bedding, assist patients to their bathrooms, help feed them, read to them.
I’m sure Elgin—Middlesex—London MPP Rob Flack could donate a few hours to the Children’s hospital in London that is overcapacity. Hamilton East–Stoney Creek MPP Neil Lumsden could help out at McMaster hospital where they are at 140% overcapacity.
Put them all to work; don’t push your lack of fore thought, mismanagement and inadequacy on others.
Joanne Klonikowski,
Fordwich