Support worker strike would impact health services, Shared Health warns
Posted October 7, 2024 4:02 pm.
A possible strike among health-care support workers in Manitoba would lead to delays in accessing health services, Shared Health is warning.
It comes hours ahead of a deadline and impending strike by MGEU- and CUPE-unionized support workers. Roughly 25,000 health-care support workers could walk off the job as of Tuesday at 6 a.m.
“Patients, residents and clients can expect service delays in a number of areas if a strike occurs,” Shared Health said in a news release. “Care providers thank the public in advance for their patience as they do their best to provide services during this time.”
Shared Health says “life-saving and other high-priority surgeries, including cancer surgeries, will proceed,” as well as cancer treatments.
Elective and less urgent surgeries would be impacted, the provincial health organization says, “with case-by-case assessments completed to ensure patients identified for a postponement are able to wait safely for their surgery.
“Diagnostic testing is also slated to continue at or near normal levels, albeit with some delays for elective appointments. Efforts will be made to maintain endoscopy capacity at near-normal levels in most locations.
“Mental health and addiction services are expected to be fully operational, but there could be delays in processing new clients for some services.”
Shared Health is urging patients to seek the “appropriate level of care” based on their symptoms, meaning a visit to a walk-in clinic or family doctor could be more fitting than waiting at a hospital emergency room, for instance.
The health organization also says virtual care can be a good option in some cases.
Also being disrupted are outpatient clinics, ostomy and home nutrition clients, and language access interpreter services.
“Further disruptions are possible in these and other areas of the health system in the days ahead if job action occurs,” Shard Health said.
This impending strike is expected to affect those living in Winnipeg, Interlake-Eastern and Prairie Mountain health regions, and Southern Health-Sante Sud.
