The Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador (RNU) is raising serious concerns after a meeting this morning with NL Health Services (NLHS) about the proposed move of gynecology services to the Janeway.

The meeting, requested by NLHS, was intended to address concerns raised by the union and other health professionals. Instead, it left RNU with more questions than answers—and deeper concerns about the lack of transparency, inconsistent messaging, and exclusion of key frontline voices.

At the beginning of the meeting, Dr. Pat Parfrey said that no plan had been finalized and that any information shared to date was “just rumour.” Later in the discussion, he clarified that a draft plan had in fact been developed, shared with one discipline for input, and subsequently revised based on their feedback. He also stated that the plan had not yet been submitted to government.

For weeks, RNU has heard from nurses, nurse practitioners, and other health-care workers who were briefed by NLHS managers and HR about the relocation. As official conversations coming directly from within the health authority, it creates uncertainty when they are described as rumours.

“If the plan was just a draft, why wasn’t it shared with all the disciplines?” asked Yvette Coffey, President of RNU. “Nurses and other frontline health-care workers deserve transparency—not behind-closed-doors conversations.”

A pediatricians’ briefing note, tabled in the House of Assembly, also outlines concerns with the proposed relocation. It highlights ongoing resource challenges at the Janeway and warns: “There will be times in May when there is no General Pediatrician on site.”

“We’re hearing different things from different people—sometimes even within the same organization,” said Coffey. “It’s creating confusion, mistrust, and an atmosphere where healthcare workers don’t know what to believe.”

Nurses are already being mandated to work 16, 20, even 24-hour shifts. They are doing more with fewer resources and facing impossible workloads. Now, they are also being excluded from the very decisions that impact their ability to deliver safe, timely care.

During the meeting, Dr. Parfrey said the proposed move was driven by a need to free up beds at the Health Sciences Centre. But the RNU warns that shifting beds without adequate staff does not address the root issue.

“You can’t fix capacity by moving services around without the staff to back it up,” said Coffey. “You can only provide care when you have the resources to do so safely.”

RNU is calling on NLHS to engage in meaningful, open dialogue with all disciplines affected by these decisions. These are not routine operational changes—they are decisions that affect real people, real workloads, and real patient outcomes.

“Nurses are essential to patient care—and we deserve to be included, informed, and respected in planning conversations,” said Coffey. “It’s time for NLHS to match their words with action. Consultation can’t just be a checkbox. It has to be real.”

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About the Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador The Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador (RNU) represents over 5,800 registered nurses and nurse practitioners working in acute care, long-term care, community, education, and research. The Union advocates for its members and the public healthcare system to improve access, quality, and sustainability of care in Newfoundland and Labrador.

For more information, please contact:

Jonathan Hamel

Director of Communications

Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador

Phone: (709) 691-6890

Email: jhamel@rnunl.ca