MIAMI –Caregivers and leaders from 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East will host a virtual panel with Florida State Representative Michele Rayner (HD-70) and other officials on April 20 to discuss solutions to the dangerous staffing, retention and care crisis in the state’s nursing homes and hospitals.

The roundtable is part of the We Care Committee series from 1199SEIU, the largest union of healthcare workers in the state. The events bring together caregivers, health officials, community leaders and the public to discuss challenges and opportunities to deliver high quality care in Florida’s healthcare facilities.

Staffing, retention and a lack of accountability by for-profit nursing home and hospital operators in Florida nursing homes has been a long-term problem that has been made dramatically worse by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rayner has sponsored proposed bill (HB1365) that would improve transparency and provide better protections for caregivers especially in nursing homes. These bills would help fight improper practices that put elderly patients and their caregivers at risk.

WHO: 1199SEIU Florida caregivers and leaders.
Representative Michele Rayner and other officials.

WHAT: Virtual panel on the staffing crisis in Florida’s nursing homes and hospitals.

WHEN: 6 p.m., Thursday, April 20.

WHERE: Register here -- bit.ly/wccregister042023

CONTACT:`` News media should contact Ed Gilhuly, egilhuly@leftcom.com, (305) 807-6906 to register in advance.

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About 1199SEIU: 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest union of healthcare workers in the country representing more than 450,000 nurses and healthcare workers nationwide, including more than 35,000 in hospitals, nursing homes and other facilities throughout Florida.