The London Health Sciences Centre is going to have to make cuts to balance its books in 2015/2016.
The hospital says, for the fourth straight year, funding from the Ministry of Health won't be enough to off-set increased costs.
It says it will have to find $26-million in savings, and that will mean a reduction in staffing levels. The hospital says it expects that it will have to cut staff hours equivalent to 97 full-time positions.
That won't necessarily mean 97 people will lose their jobs. The hospital hopes it will be able to achieve the reductions through retirement and attrittion.
So far, the hospital has developed plans to reduce work times equivalent to 50 full-time positions. Those include five at the leadership level, five nursing positions, and 40 support and service positions.
“We are committed to meeting our fiscal challenges in a manner that will put our hospital on a sustainable path. Our top strategic objective is to achieve a 95 per cent average occupancy level at LHSC while maintaining or improving quality and safety,” says Murray Glendining, President and CEO, LHSC. “Achieving this objective will result in a better patient, staff and physician experience and will go a long way towards the savings needed this year and beyond.”
The hospital claims many of the reduced work hours will come in non-clinical areas. It also says cutbacks in clinical areas will be targeted at reducing overtime.
More to come.