A hospital in London, Ont., is cutting more than 100 registered nurse positions in its mental health programs, the latest in a growing list of hospitals across the province making similar moves in the face of deficits. St. Joseph’s Health Care London said Friday in a statement that it is removing 83 full-time and 31 part-time RN roles, and adding close to the same number of registered practical nurse, personal support worker, occupational therapist, physiotherapy assistant, social worker and therapeutic recreation assistant roles.The hospital said it did a model of care review and is updating the service delivery model in its mental health inpatient, regional outpatient and outreach program at Parkwood Institute.“This change is not about reducing care,” the hospital wrote in a statement. “We’re re-aligning how care is delivered and ensuring patients receive care that matches their mental health, recovery and whole person needs, while making the best use of our resources and the diverse skills and expertise within our teams.”It comes as the hospital recorded its first-ever deficit last year of $4.7 million, and has a planned operating deficit this year. The hospital is working toward a balanced budget within three years, it said.Health Minister Sylvia Jones has told all hospitals in the province in deficit – which covers the majority in Ontario – to set three-year plans to eliminate their red ink, telling them to implement any “low-risk” measures immediately.Spokesperson Lily Barnes said the province boosted hospital funding by four per cent this year for a fourth consecutive year.“While hospitals are independent corporations, responsible for their own day-to-day operations, including human resource matters, we will continue to work with St. Joseph’s Health Care London and all hospital partners to ensure people have access to the high-quality care they need, where they need it,” she wrote in a statement. “To be clear, the changes St. Joseph’s Health Care is making will not impact patient access to care or services.”Ontario Nurses’ Association provincial president Erin Ariss condemned the job cuts.“There is no justification for this government starving our hospitals of adequate funding, knowing Ontario nurses will lose their livelihoods and communities will pay a heavy price for RN cuts,” she wrote in a statement.“The latest cuts in London leave patient safety severely compromised as the skills RNs possess are vital to identify when a patient needs life-saving measures, and to act when time is of the essence.”The hospital said based on current vacancies and transfer opportunities, it expects 60 full-time and 25 part-time jobs to be directly affected.Hamilton Health Sciences announced last month it planned to eliminate more than 400 jobs as a result of the provincial budget-balancing exercise. The Ottawa Hospital earlier this year said it would be reducing its workforce by three per cent, which would amount to hundreds of jobs, but said it would work to limit the number of layoffs through vacancy management and early retirements.The hospital has so far been able to limit the number of “involuntary departures” to 17 people, it said recently.London Health Sciences Centre had said it was cutting nursing positions through attrition, and Chatham-Kent Health Alliance said it planned to cut 49 positions by not filling vacancies.