Media Advisory/Photo Opportunity: More Than 400 Physiotherapists to Descend on Queen's Park to Protest Planned Cuts to Ohip Physiotherapy for Seniors

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - June 4, 2013) - More than 400 physiotherapists, responding to planned cuts that will drastically reduce the amount of government-funded physiotherapy available to the province's most vulnerable seniors, will express their concerns at Queen's Park on Tuesday.

"The government's cuts will have devastating, long lasting effects on seniors - as well as disabled persons and children - in Ontario," says Tony Melles a physiotherapist and Executive Director of the Designated Physiotherapy Clinics' Association (DPCA).

The DPCA represents the majority of the 94 OHIP-clinics province-wide and 3,000 registered physiotherapists and staff.

"Health Minister Deb Matthews is trying to spin the changes as an increase in physiotherapy, when in fact it's really a cut in both expenditure and the number of treatments available to the frailest elderly of our society," adds Melles. "The cuts represent a deeply flawed view of what happens on the front lines of care. They'll directly impact the health, mobility and dignity of seniors across the province."

The cuts, scheduled to go into effect August 1, were decided without consultation with seniors, current providers or caregivers.

Since the announcement was made to cut OHIP-funded physiotherapy, a grass roots campaign to protest the cuts has been growing across the province with physiotherapists, caregivers and seniors themselves taking to the streets, and MPP's offices, to rally against the cuts and have their voices heard.