Dozens of PSW positions eliminated at Guelph General Hospital

Guelph General Hospital will be eliminating around 39 personal support worker (PSW) positions over the next five months.

The hospital said Wednesday they were added at a time when there were “significant health human resource challenges.”

“Now, in a more stable staffing position and having conducted routine benchmarking work, adjustments to this position need to be made to ensure we continue to optimize the delivery of care,” Carla Kostiak, a GGH spokesperson, wrote in a statement to CTV News.

Kostiak said they wouldn’t know the exact number of jobs impacted until they worked through the process outlined in their collective agreements.

Brandy Wilson, who has been a PSW at the hospital for about two years, found out about the layoffs earlier this month.

“We were given a package to either decline or take a buyout,” she explained. “Otherwise, we're allowed to work for the next five months. But after the five months we’re laid off.”

Wilson is one of the people who will soon be out of a job.

“I think everybody is blown out of the water and very emotional about it. There's a lot that are angry.”

Brandy Wilson at Guelph General Hospital in Dec. 2023. (Submitted)

Wilson said she was told an external organization did a review of the hospital’s model and recommended where to make cuts.

“I think if they were to come into the hospital and work alongside us for even a shift, they would get to see what we do, how we [provide] better care, and how we're there for the patients and support for our nursing staff,” Wilson said.

She isn’t sure where she’ll work next.

“It really feels like the PWSs are not viewed as an asset to the team. They don’t feel our job is valued there,” she said.

Wilson is also worried the remaining PSWs and nursing staff will have to pick up the slack once the layoffs are finalized.

“It's unfortunate for them because they're going to be strapped for time. A lot of them will miss breaks. A lot of them will unfortunately go through burnout.”

Kostiak said the hospital recognizes the impact these changes will have on staff and the community and are committed to supporting the team during the transition.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents 700 members at GGH, including all 64 PSWs, said it’s concerning to see job cuts at a time when more frontline staff is needed.

“These are typically occurring as hospitals face fiscal deficits due to the Ford government underfunding health care. However, we are unsure if that’s the driving force behind these cuts at Guelph General, and will be able to provide more information soon,” a spokesperson for CUPE told CTV News.

Kostiak said the changes are meant to ensure the hospital can maintain the level of exceptional care the community has come to expect, but in a sustainable way.