Families, Nurses Rally to Save Kaiser Hayward Pediatrics Unit

Children and their families — along with community members, elected officials, community groups and nurses — will be rallying the closure of Kaiser Hayward’s pediatrics units on Thursday from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. on the corner of Sleepy Hollow Avenue South and West Tennyson Road. 

The closure of the pediatrics unit is scheduled for Sunday.

The pediatrics unit serves over 1,800 families a year, and more than 100,000 children in the tri-city area. The closure will force patients who need to be hospitalized to drive to Oakland, Santa Clara or Roseville. It affects families with children under the age of 18 from Hayward, Fremont, Union City, San Lorenzo, San Leandro and Castro Valley.

The plans of transitioning pediatric services from Kaiser Hayward to the new Kaiser in San Leandro have been discontinued.

“Kaiser is clearly cutting the level and quality of pediatric services being offered the families in Southern Alameda County,” said Kris Richter, an RN at the pediatrics unit in Hayward. “As membership in the county grows, Kaiser has proposed to cut 22 nursing positions and only replace eight nursing positions in Oakland and the new hospital there isn’t even open yet. This means a 60 percent reduction in nursing services. We aren’t concerned about our jobs because we know we will get transfers. Our only concern is the quality of care our patients and future patients will receive if these drastic reductions go forward.”