Cuts to Urgent Care Overnight Hours Sparks More Anger

MPs and MPPs are asking the provincial and federal governments to step in

More Niagara politicians are speaking out after Niagara Health announced it was getting rid of overnight service at the urgent care centres in Fort Erie and Port Colborne. 

Niagara Health announced the decision yesterday, saying the hospital system is facing a shortage of physicians. 

Starting July 5th, the urgent care centres in Fort Erie and Port Colborne will be open every day from 10:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m.

In a release, Niagara Falls MP Tony Baldinelli says he's urging the federal government to reduce red tape surrounding health care staffing. 

"It’s time for the federal government to step up and remove the impediments that stand in the way, so trained professionals that are here or want to be here, can work in their professions. This should help reduce healthcare staffing shortages in Niagara and elsewhere," Baldinelli said. "We shouldn’t have foreign-educated and trained Canadians citizens who are unable to practice in their own country, which is the case right now. It shouldn’t take months for a nurse or a licensed doctor to get their new license to practice if they move from one province to another. Further, immigrants coming to Canada each year on the strength of their healthcare education shouldn’t find out once they arrive that it will take months of cutting through red tape and possibly repeating some of their training before they can get licensed to practice."

Meanwhile, during Question Period today, MPP Wayne Gates brought up the issue, asking for help from the provincial government. 

"Just yesterday the people of my community learned they’d indefinitely be losing overnight urgent care," said Gates. "That’s yet another community losing access to vital 24/7 local care because of the Conservatives’ health care staffing crisis. Ford needs to step in and provide the needed resources to keep the Fort Erie Urgent Care Centre open 24/7, to keep the burden off our overworked and understaffed ERs." 

Niagara Health says emergency departments will remain open 24/7, but patients could face longer wait times.