Premier asks how McMaster Children’s Hospital is coping during crisis but so far offers no aid

Premier Doug Ford called the CEO of Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) to see how the hospital network is coping but so far no further aid or solutions have been announced for the growing crisis in pediatric care caused by a surge of viral illness.

This is such an empty gesture," said Michael Hurley, president of the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions, which is part of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).

This is a crisis for children's health care across Ontario," he said. It demands a plan from the government."

The call initiated by the premier's office Friday was made on the same day that McMaster Children's Hospital (MCH) put out an update to the community that it was low on supplies, its occupancy was over 140 per cent and its intensive care unit (ICU) was so overcrowded that critically ill kids were being cared for on medicine wards and in the emergency department. In addition, emergency room wait times had spiked as high as 13 hours.

It was also on the same day that HHS sent out a message to staff that teens age 16 and older needing urgent surgery would be transferred to adult hospitals similar to what was already happening for youth age 14 and older needing ICU care. McMaster's catchment area had been temporarily altered to reroute kids to London Health Sciences Centre. In addition, the children's hospital was looking at using clinics after hours to expand its emergency department and was literally running out of space for patients.

The Premier needs to do more than just ask how our hospitals are coping," Ontario Liberal health critic Dr. Adil Shamji said in a statement. He needs to present Ontarians with a real plan to address the crisis in our emergency rooms, get serious about encouraging masking and COVID-19 boosters, and update the province daily on their progress."

Hospital network CEO Rob MacIsaac tweeted Friday about the call stating, Many thanks to @fordnation for checking in on @HamHealthSci today and taking the time to ask about how we are coping in these difficult times especially @mch_childrens. The Premier was gracious in thanking the team at HHS for all their hard work."

He's thanking Doug Ford?" said Angela Preocanin, first vice-president of the Ontario Nurses' Association. The dire, dire situation that we're in with pediatric patients, it's horrible ... We're just so shocked by the lack of acknowledgment of the crisis that's happening."

The surge of kids severely ill with influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), COVID and other viruses comes as HHS is struggling with unprecedented staff shortages. McMaster alone had 425 job openings - 123 of them in nursing - from July to October. Staff from other sites have been asked to voluntarily go and help McMaster.

When nurses go home at the end of the day they are so distraught because they don't know if they did a good enough job because of the resources that they don't have," said Preocanin. When you're overstretched, overburdened, at some point there is a limit to how much you can do."

When asked about whether the premier offered any aid or solutions, HHS said in a statement, Discussion was focused on the current staffing and capacity pressures at HHS and specifically MCH, as well as across the health system."

The premier did not respond to requests for comment from The Spectator by deadline.

It's pure political theatre," said Sandy Shaw, MPP for Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas about the call and tweet.

It was so tone deaf considering what's going on. People are not in the mood to hear Ford being praised for simply making a phone call."

Shaw, who is NDP, said nothing about the call reassured people that their kids are going to be looked after at McMaster."

Is there a plan," she asked. What is the urgent plan to address this crisis? Did the premier give any answers?"

HHS said in the statement that, This was just one interaction. There are daily discussions with government and our health care partners."

But the unions and opposition MPPs say its time for action. They have called on the Conservative government to dip into $44 billion in unallocated contingency funds or the $2.1 billion surplus to shore up the health-care system. They also want the repeal of Bill 124, which caps wages.

What could be more important than a crisis that impacts the health of our kids?" said Shaw. It's an unfortunate and highly preventable tragedy right now ... How long before some child dies in emerg waiting?"

Hurley points out the situation is likely to get worse as the winter months are traditionally when hospitals are most strained by flu and other viruses.

This is only starting to take off - it isn't it isn't at its peak," he said. I think this is where the Ford government has let us down, let children down, because there is no plan that I've heard of."

Joanna Frketich is a health reporter at The Spectator. jfrketich@thespec.com