Health Committee Nova Scotia: "government tries to create crisis"

A recently organized citizens’ health committee in Nova Scotia, feels the government is trying to create a crisis to push for privatization by closing hospital emergency departments.

Judy Davis, spokeswoman for the North Shore Citizens’ Health Committee, said the provincial government has been creating a sense of crisis in the health care system for years, and the emergency department closures scheduled at Lillian Fraser Memorial Hospital in Tatamagouche this week is one of its methods.

“Why is the ER closing again?” asked Davis. “Despite bringing a new doctor to the area, the provincial government is failing to solve the problems.”

Health Minister Chris D’Entremont said he would much rather see committees created to look at solutions to heath care issues working through district health authorities and the Department of Health, who are well aware of issues affecting the health-care system.

“I think it is preposterous to see that kind of misunderstanding of the health- care system and exactly what happens in it,” said D’Entremont about the committee’s allegations.
“ER closures are something we’re living with. It is something that is going to happen from time to time.
“It’s an issue that is happening all across Canada not just here. But to see them try to attach it to the issue of private health care, or what have you, it is absolutely preposterous."

The minister said the department has been grappling with human health resource issues for a while and solutions are very slow in coming as people train to fill vacant positions.

“A couple locums have been located and will be in place at Lillian Fraser Memorial Hospital as of January so that will mitigate any closures that will happen there for a while,” said D’Entremont.
Davis feels one of the solutions to improve health care in Tatamagouche would be to bring a nurse practitioner to the area.

In the new year, working to establish a nurse practitioner in the community, along with keeping the emergency department at the rural hospital open, are top priorities for the local committee, organized by the Nova Scotia Citizens’ Health Care Network.

Truro Daily News