BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The voices of local veterans are now being heard as Buffalo's VA Medical Center Director and its Chief of Staff have been removed by the Department of Veteran's Affairs, pending an investigation.
Last week we brought you the voices of several veterans who shared their concerns about the quality of care they have received.
"No, I'm getting nothing," Mike Valent told us. "I know a lot of guys just gave up. They live with their conditions or their problems. You know?" You can watch our previous report below.
VA Press Secretary Terrence Hayes provided the following statement:
"Upon learning of concerns raised by clinicians about local leadership and instances of delayed care, VA immediately transferred the Medical Center Director and the Chief of Staff out of clinical- and Veteran-facing positions pending the results of an investigation.
Providing Veterans with the world-class care they deserve when and where they need it is our top priority, and VA has taken immediate steps to ensure the health care needs of Veterans are being met.
VA is committed to providing Veterans timely, quality health care – we will never settle for anything less, and we will continue to hold our employees accountable to the highest standards of care and services. Because the investigation is ongoing, we cannot comment further at this time."
We proactively informed Congress of this matter, and we will continue to keep Congress – and local Veterans – apprised on this issue every step of the way."
Concern for the care of our local heroes is now being echoed by two local lawmakers: U.S. Congressman Nick Langworthy and New York State Assemblyman Pat Burke, in his continued fight for veteran care.
During a roundtable last week, Assemblyman Burke heard about issues surrounding patient care, and on Tuesday he doubled down, saying once again, that this is unacceptable.
"One gentleman was saying he needed a foot potentially amputated. He was just sitting there with pain for months, and months and months, without the VA giving him the approval. They couldn't provide the care there but they weren't giving him the approval to get care elsewhere," Burke told me.
He called this a "failure in the system."
"We spend a ton of money on our war machine. We spend a ton of money sending people to war. Then we start pinching pennies when we start talking about taking care of them when they get home. That's ridiculous. We can't do that," Burke added. "What kind of country can we be if we don't take care of the people fighting for our freedom."
Additionally, he said staff is underpaid.
"The incentives to just be a medical professional at the VA are not strong. But then when you're there, you're committed to that work, you know you're underpaid. So, not only is it just getting staff but retaining staff is incredibly difficult," Burke said.
Republican Congressman Nick Langworthy echoed Burke's sentiment and is demanding accountability.
"The Buffalo VA's administrative failures have left veterans battling cancer—heroes who risked everything for this country—waiting far too long for the care they need. This situation is unacceptable, and we owe it to our veterans to get to the bottom of it. It is imperative that the VA conducts a thorough and transparent review of this matter, cooperates fully with the Committee's investigation, and takes immediate corrective action where necessary."
While I was at the Buffalo VA Medical Center Tuesday to gather video and speak with veterans, a nurse told me about a picket taking place on Friday at 2 p.m. in front of the Medical Center on Bailey Avenue. She told me staff will be protesting the VA's hiring freeze and asking for raises for out-of-patient nurses.
