Letter from 34 Rhode Island reps urges Women and Infants to reconsider planned layoffs, hospital responds

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — 34 Rhode Island state representatives signed a letter addressed to Women and Infants Hospital President and COO Shannon Sullivan urging her to reconsider hospital layoffs.

According to the July 9 letter from the representatives, Women and Infants and owner Care New England plans to lay off an unmentioned number of workers who “perform essential roles that support expecting mothers, newborns and families during critical moments of care.”

The letter references Care New England’s eight straight quarters of record profits and a recent bond rating upgrade, along with “significant” state-funded resources delivered to CNE facilities.

“These resources should go toward stabilizing and supporting the workforce—not toward eliminating experienced staff,” said the letter, which also expresses concern about an “already-strained” healthcare system.

“There has been no clear explanation of how this care will be maintained following the layoffs, and it is unclear how these cuts will result in any meaningful cost savings.”

The letter also addresses concerns that CNE appears to be shifting union positions to non-union roles, which the letter said “raises serious legal and ethical questions.”

The letter closes saying, “We urge you to rescind these layoffs and work with the union to ensure that families, newborns, and frontline healthcare workers receive the support they need. The future of maternal and infant care in our state depends on it.”

In response, Shannon Sullivan, the president and COO of Women and Infants Hospital, released this statement:

I want to thank the members of the Rhode Island General Assembly for reaching out to me to share their concerns. I share their unwavering commitment to ensuring the highest standard of care for parents, newborns, and families across our state.

The recent decision to reduce a small number of positions at Women & Infants Hospital was made after careful consideration of how to best position the hospital for long-term sustainability while continuing to deliver safe, high-quality care. I want to reassure our community that this change will not impact the quality or continuity of care at Women & Infants, and the Hospital will uphold the clinical excellence and compassion that define our hospital.

I remain committed to supporting our workforce and have always made myself available for continued dialogue.