MEDIA ADVISORY - Ontario Nurses' Association Leader to Speak Out Against Hospital Cuts at Kenora Town Hall Meeting:

Vice-President Vicki McKenna will discuss impact on patient care

KENORA, ON, May 14, 2015 /CNW/ - Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) First Vice-President Vicki McKenna, RN, will speak out about the impact on patient care of the underfunding of Lake of the Woods Hospital at a Town Hall Meeting planned for May 19 in Kenora.

ONA notes that in the first few months of 2015 alone, more than 800,000 hours of registered nurse care has been cut from hospitals across the province. McKenna says that cuts at Lake of the Woods District Hospital mean fewer beds and less nursing care.

"Ontario hospitals have seen their budgets frozen for four consecutive years, and that amounts to a consistent funding decrease," said McKenna. "Hospitals continue to balance their budgets by cutting RN care, leaving patients – according to research – seven per cent more likely to suffer increased risks of complications and even death. It's time we all spoke out against the cuts that are closing beds, delaying access to service and costing much-needed hospital jobs."

McKenna will be joined by Michael Hurley, President of CUPE for the Town Hall meeting, and will also join ONA members – front-line registered nurses and allied health professionals – in a walk and barbeque to raise community awareness of the cuts that are impacting the community.

ONA is the union representing 60,000 registered nurses and allied health professionals, as well as more than 14,000 nursing student affiliates providing care in hospitals, long-term care, the community, public health, clinics and industry.

WHO:	ONA President Vicki McKenna, RN, front-line nurses from Lake of the Woods Hospital
WHAT:	Town Hall meeting to raise awareness of cuts to health care
WHEN:	Tuesday, May 19, 2015 at 7 pm
WHERE:	Lakeside Inn & Conference Centre Hotel, 470 1^st Avenue South, Kenora, ON

Visit us at: www.ona.org; Facebook.com/OntarioNurses; Twitter.com/OntarioNurses

SOURCE Ontario Nurses' Association

Ontario Nurses' Association: Sheree Bond, [phone], ext. 2430, cell: [phone], [email protected], Ruth Featherstone, [phone], ext. 2267, [email protected]