Health Sciences North's plan to cut 76 jobs on hold due to the LHIN

The hospital in Sudbury says it wants to cut 76 full-time equivalent positions to help balance its budget, but says it can't until the plan is reviewed by the North East Local Health Integration Network (NE LHIN).

Health Sciences North says its board of directors has approved a $505.8 million budget for the 2018-2019 fiscal year. It says the plan includes no bed closures and a $1.4 million increase in clinical departments include a new pain management clinic.

However to get there, the hospital says it's looking to cut 76 full time unionized jobs, reduce outside clinical departments by $6.9 million and reduce the capital budget for renovations, equipment and information technology by 23 per cent.

The hospital says 37 management and non-unionzed positions have already been eliminated.

Despite the budget being approved by the board of directors, it says it can't put the plan into place due to the NE LHIN.

"The HSN board was informed by the NE LHIN on April 12 that it would conduct by June 30 a third party validation of the approved budget as well as systemic review of the pressures that our health system is experiencing," the hospital said in a statement.

"The LHIN says this is needed because it is concerned with the magnitude, pace and impacts of HSN's plan to live within its means."

The hospital says senior leadership and the board will work closely with the NE LHIN. It says "a timely implementation is of the utmost importance as every week of delay will cost $250,000."

HSN board chair Nicole Everest says the board hopes to deal with many of the job losses through attrition and retirement, pointing out 184 employees are eligible for a reduced pension by 2019.