NORFOLK, Va. — Right now, the new VA Secretary is addressing staffing levels at the new Chesapeake VA clinic, which is set to open next month after local lawmakers expressed their concerns about the staffing levels at the clinic.
Last week, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) and Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Virginia) toured the facility and said they were told it will open with about 150 employees.
“To open with a 25 to 30 percent staff but also with real chaos creating real question marks around when you can completely fill up the staff is definitely not anything we can feel good about,” Kaine said.
Watch previous coverage: As new Chesapeake VA clinic is set to open, concerns are raised about staffing
“You have the building, but you can't have a medical facility without the personnel,” Scott added.
In an interview with News 3, VA Secretary Doug Collins took exception to their comments.
“They both have been around for long enough to know better, but they chose the political stunt route,” Collins said.
Collins said that it’s standard practice for a new facility to open in phases and that it will ramp up to being fully functional in January 2026.
Watch related coverage: Fired Hampton VA employee reacts to judge’s order to have federal workers reinstated
“Let’s just pick on the VA—complain about the VA—if you’re a member of Congress and then do nothing about it. Look, we've been on the GAO list at the VA for ten years, and they highlight the fact that we're susceptible to fraud, waste, and abuse, and the patient care suffered. Instead of doing anything really about it over the last years, all they've done is put more money,” Collins said.
Collins has made it clear he’s looking at a 15 percent reduction in staffing at the VA nationwide but stressed that’s a goal, not a mandate, and has said patient care won’t be impacted.
“We have multiple layers upon layers of bureaucracy that have nothing—hear me clearly—zero patient impact, zero disability impact at all. And you’re telling me that we just need to keep that in mind when we could actually be reshifting doctors and nurses who are in non-patient-centered roles back to clinics and back to hospitals,” Collins said.
This facility is set to open on April 17, as both sides keep an eye on staffing levels at the VA.
In response to Sec. Collins, Sen. Kaine released a statement saying, “I can’t understand why VA Secretary Collins, who is insisting that he’s improving VA services, is planning to fire 80,000 VA employees—including at least 20,000 veterans—and refusing to hire critical support staff that VA facilities rely on to deliver high-quality services. How can a facility operate at full capacity without the janitors that sanitize the building, cooks who provide meals to patients, or boiler room employees that maintain safe temperatures for those seeking and providing treatment? I hope Secretary Collins proves me wrong, but any reasonable person would have serious concerns about how the VA’s actions will impact wait times and care.”
Rep. Scott said, “VA Secretary Collins accused us of lying when he said the Chesapeake VA clinic will open with a fraction of the staff needed. He then admitted the Chesapeake VA clinic will open with a fraction of the staff needed. The Trump Administration’s creation of chaos and confusion has made it incredibly difficult to recruit qualified civil servants including nurses, dentists and support staff. Instead of fixating on members of Congress, Secretary Collins should focus on providing quality care to veterans and reverse course on their plans to fire 80,000 VA employees, including over 20,000 veterans.”
