MEDIA ADVISORY: 43 per cent of Kingston’s hospital workers dread going to work: new poll suggests staffing crisis to worsen without course correction by the Ford government

Event Information

Begins: 4 January 2024
Location: Kingston, ON

OCHU/CUPE’s media conference at 10 a.m. on Thursday to reveal findings of a new poll among more than 750 hospital workers in Kingston and across Ontario

KINGSTON, ON –/COMMUNITYWIRE/– A new poll paints a worrying picture about the impact of the staffing crisis on patient care in Kingston’s hospitals with 43 per cent of staff saying they “dread going to work,” and a similar number contemplating leaving their jobs. 

The survey of more than 750 hospital workers from across the province was conducted by Nanos Research on behalf of CUPE’s Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU/CUPE). The poll gauged workers’ confidence in the government’s plan to improve public health care, their satisfaction with working conditions, and negative impacts on their mental health.

It supplements recent research by OCHU/CUPE warning of an acute staffing crisis in the hospital sector, which is contributing to unprecedented ER closures, delayed treatments, and overall poorer quality of patient care.

On Wednesday afternoon, OCHU/CUPE leaders will reveal detailed findings of the poll among Kingston hospital workers and recommend concrete solutions to begin healing a sector ravaged by government cuts. 

WHO:
Sharon Richer, secretary-treasurer of OCHU/CUPE and Dave Verch, RPN and first vice president of OCHU/CUPE

WHAT:
OCHU/CUPE Media Conference to announce results of a poll conducted among its members in Kingston’s hospitals about employment conditions, negative impacts of work on their mental health, and their confidence in the government’s plan to improve health care

WHEN:
10 a.m., Thursday, January 4

WHERE:
CUPE Regional Office, 615 Norris Ct., Kingston

-30-

For more information, contact:

Zaid Noorsumar, CUPE Communications
647-995-9859
znoorsumar@cupe.ca