OCHU

By Stew Kernan and Nick Liard

Patients are suffering because hospital officials have to balance their budgets while dealing with a government imposed five year funding freeze.

That’s according to the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions that says cuts to beds, staff and services had a devastating effect on hospitals in Northern Ontario.

Council president Michael Hurley says the cuts have to stop.

He says the council wants to government to fund hospitals at the rate of inflation and invest more in community services.

Hurley says Northern Ontario faces many more challenges than in the south because of geography, a larger aboriginal population, higher rates of many chronic diseases and a lack of family doctors.