The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) is facing a significant budget shortfall of 2.6 to 2.8 million dollars in 2024, despite increased funding from the province (1%) and municipalities (3%). To address this, they’ve restructured programs and services, leading to layoffs and reductions in certain areas like school health nursing and support for local policy development.
Some programs received increased investments, like disease control and health expertise provision. As a result, they’re losing 13 full-time nursing positions, among others, but adding roles to better align with prioritized interventions. Strategies like voluntary retirement incentives and transferring staff to temporary roles aim to minimize the impact, expecting fewer than seven frontline layoffs in January.
written by: C. Soares
