A Niagara politician is putting pressure on the Ford government to tackle sky-high staffing agency fees in long-term care homes, including nurses who are charging $150/hr.
Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates, who is also the Critic for Long-Term Care, Retirement Homes and Home Care, questioned the government today on staffing issues in long-term care homes and what he calls 'sky-high' fees that are being charged by private staffing agencies.
"This government has brought the working conditions from bad to worse by ignoring our staffing crisis for so long that they've created a profitable business model for their insider friends— taking advantage of a health human resource crisis," said Gates.
"$150 an hour, that's the absurd prices some staffing agencies charge, not-for-profit long-term care homes for a registered nurse."
Gates says some temporary staffing agencies in the province have taken advantage of staffing shortages in Ontario's long-term care homes to generate 'astronomical' profits.
"You created a situation so extreme, with staff shortages and Bill 124, that one non-profit home is spending $3 million on agency workers—10 times what they budgeted," said Gates. "This will reduce care in our homes—people will suffer."
"At what point will this government stop prioritizing profit over people and recognize that long-term care staff are well past being fed up."
Meantime, Ontario's long-term care minister says the province is reviewing pricing practices of nursing agencies.
Paul Calandra says the government has formed a technical committee to examine the challenges long-term care homes are facing.
A long-term care association that represents Ontario's non-profit homes say they are being overcharged by nursing agencies.
AdvantAge Ontario said two weeks ago that 100 of its long-term care homes across the province are paying $6 million per month collectively to nursing agencies.
Competition for nurses and personal support workers across the province remains fierce as the health-care system grapples with a severe staffing shortage.
The province says it is looking for recommendations from long-term care associations to address the issue.
(with files from the Canadian Press)