New report warns of longer wait-times, rushed care, and overcrowded Ontario hospitals as government cuts expected to cause over 10,000 job losses and shortfall of 4,080 beds - CUPE

As Trillium launches its “Built for Us” campaign, CEO Karli Farrow says redesigning care — not just new buildings — is key to easing ER overcrowding.

York and Scarborough hospitals are facing a shortfall of dozens of beds this winter, according to senior leaders. York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust forecasts a shortfall of 52 beds at York Hospital and 32 at Scarborough Hospital, based on expected winter demand. The prediction comes after the proportion of patients waiting for more than 12 hours in emergency departments at the trust's hospitals more than doubled, from 5.9% in April to 14.6% in August. Despite the predicted shortfall, the trust said plans were in place to reduce pressure on services and provide extra capacity if needed. Health bosses said that improvements in same-day emergency care, shorter hospital stays and faster discharges could free up the equivalent of around 30 beds at York and 13 at Scarborough Hospital. Even with those improvements, a residual shortfall of 22 beds at York and 19 at Scarborough is still expected. A trust spokesperson said they were preparing for additional pressures by working closely with health and social care partners.

At Fall Clinical 2026, Angela Fitch, MD, discussed GLP-1 prescribing by dermatologists and the metabolic and inflammatory link to psoriasis. Angela Fitch, MD, co-founder and chief medical officer of Knownwell and past president of the Obesity Medicine Association, recently discussed GLP-1 care in psoriasis after a multidisciplinary panel at Fall Clinical 2026. Fitch, an obesity medicine specialist, described the medications as relevant to more than weight management, and wants dermatologists to feel comfortable prescribing them. Multidisciplinary Care Beyond Weight ManagementThe panel included Fitch, dermatologists, a pharmacist to answer clinical pharmacy questions, and a patient advocate to share the patient perspective. Fitch called the patient view especially important. She said the discussion centered on GLP-1 care as more than a weight management tool. “We’re really talking about not just losing weight, but gaining health,” Fitch said. Fitch noted a strong relationship between psoriasis and metabolic health issues, extending across the whole metabolic health continuum rather than weight alone.