NDP Ignore Alarming 42% Vacancy Rate at Grace Hospital Amid Looming Allied Health Strike
WINNIPEG — With over 7,000 allied health professionals prepared to strike tonight, new documents reveal the full extent of the NDP’s failure to support Manitoba’s healthcare workforce. Freedom of Information (FIPPA) records obtained by the PC Caucus confirm that as of October 2024, Grace Hospital had a staggering 41.7% vacancy rate for allied health professionals—one of the worst in the province.
“Allied health professionals are the backbone of our healthcare system, yet the NDP has no plan to retain them,” said Roblin MLA Kathleen Cook, PC Critic for Health. “If a strike happens, it will impact patient care and make surgical and diagnostic wait times worse.”
Manitobans continue to experience delays in surgeries, diagnostic imaging, and emergency room care under the NDP. Over 1,000 allied health positions remain unfilled across the province.
Meanwhile, a recent survey from the Manitoba Association of Allied Health Care Professionals (MAHCP) found that nearly half of members polled reported staff losses in their departments last year, with a majority saying their workloads have increased and morale has plummeted.
“The NDP campaigned on fixing healthcare, yet after 17 months in government, they have failed to address the urgent need for frontline workers,” said Cook. “This government’s inaction on allied health staffing is putting Manitobans at risk.”
With a strike imminent and Manitoba’s healthcare system already struggling, Cook is calling on the NDP to take immediate action to address the critical shortage of allied health professionals and put forward a real plan to retain these essential workers.
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