I recently requested clarification from Health PEI on the hiring of more than 500 healthcare workers since January 2023. Hundreds of nurses and care support workers hired across the province | Government of Prince Edward Island
I asked for a list of where these healthcare workers have been hired and the number of vacancies that these new hires have filled. Unfortunately, it seems that our numbers do not coincide with what has been announced. We still have many vacancies, and our members continue to work short-staffed.
It would have been helpful to have had some consultation prior to the announcement so we could have had the opportunity to ask questions and get clarification on where these vacancies have been alleviated. Despite Health PEI’s encouraging announcement, we have still not seen a significant improvement in staffing for our members on the front lines. We hear this daily from our members.
UPSE remains committed to working with Health PEI to ensure that more healthcare workers are hired, including Licensed Practical Nurses, Resident Care Workers, Patient Care Workers, and Home Support Workers. We still have a long way to go.
Karen Jackson,
UPSE President