This is the kind of spinoffs Quinn, other home care workers, clients, and their families believe they’re facing as the provincial government discusses opening home care up to competitive bidding.
At a public meeting in Stellarton on Thursday night organized by the Nova Scotia Health Citizens’ Health Care Network, dozens turned out to voice their concerns and discuss their next move.
“The Nova Scotia Citizens’ Health Care Network is organizing their provincial town hall tour to get people aware, because we want people to know these huge changes are coming down to home care. The government isn’t talking about it, and it’s clear they’re not allowing any public input. We think everybody deserves a say in their own health care,” said James Hutt, co-ordinator of the coalition made up of community groups who are “dedicated to protecting and extending public health care.”
In December, the province announced the hiring of a procurement consultant to look into how services are provided, at a cost of $90,000. If they were to decide to move forward, they were expecting to put out a request for proposals this spring.
Hutt and other panelists at the meeting spoke of ramifications of Ontario adopting a procurement system for home care, which allows home care providers to bid against each other for contracts.
The result, they said, is lower wages, loss of quality of care, high turnover, and lack of staff satisfaction.
Quinn, who works for VON, said those in home care aren’t doing it for the money, rather for the love of the job – which is why she wouldn’t adjust how she does her job should her wages decrease, but it doesn’t mean it wouldn’t affect her.
“I find it an insult, to mark us as an essential service, but to pay just shy of minimum wage.”
One woman noted that home care workers are required to have road-ready vehicles, something she says would not be possible with a pay cut.
Ralph Ferguson, who uses home care services, suggested that the provincial government is working with a small envelope of money, and that they should come up with an idea that would not cost the taxpayer any further money while also not diminishing quality of care.
The network has several stops on their tour, and is planning a day of action across the province in May. Aside from ensuring people are aware of potential changes, they said they want to make noise, hoping that if they oppose the changes loud enough, the provincial government will reconsider.
