News:

LONDON – While the London Health Services Centre struggles to balance its budget, resulting in the layoffs of cancer care nurses and looming additional cuts to frontline health care, the number of South West Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) bureaucrats getting paid $100,000 or more per year has tripled.

Today, Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak visited Victoria Hospital where he called for the money being wasted on salaries for top executives at the South West LHIN to be invested in frontline health care for London families and seniors.

Since its creation in 2006, the number of South West LHIN officials getting paid over $100,000 has tripled from two to six. During that time, $12.2 million health care dollars have been diverted from frontline care to pay for administrative costs at the South West LHIN.

In February, London Health Sciences Centre issued 34 layoff notices and St. Joseph’s Health Care issued 29 layoff notices in response to having to find $33 million and $17 million in savings respectively. According to the Ontario Nurses Association, 21 nursing positions at London Health Sciences and 55 nursing positions at St. Joseph’s Health Care have already been cut.

Quotes:

–Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak

–Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak

Quick Facts:

• Since 2006, $12.2 million has been diverted from front line care to pay for administrative costs at the South West LHIN, including the LHIN’s CEO who was paid $217,000 last year.
• In 2006, only two employees at the Southwest LHIN made six figure salaries and their total compensation totaled $316,000. Today, six LHIN executives are making $885,000.