SYDNEY, N.S. — Progressive Conservative MLAs Keith Bain and Murray Ryan say ongoing emergency department closures demonstrate there is a health-care crisis in Cape Breton.
The Northside General Hospital, Glace Bay Hospital, and Victoria County Memorial Hospital will be closed a combined 727 hours this holiday break.
Northside General Hospital will be closed 288 hours; Glace Bay Hospital will be closed 387 hours; and Victoria County Memorial will be closed 52 hours.
The annual accountability report on emergency departments released earlier this month shows that Cape Breton ER closures increased by 58.2 per cent from last year.
“Cape Bretoners ... know there’s a health-care crisis and are reminded on a daily basis with long wait times, constant ER closures, and limited access to primary care and mental health services,” Ryan, MLA for Northside-Westmount, said in a news release.
Ryan, along with Bain, MLA for Victoria-The Lakes, says the Stephen McNeil Liberal government is failing Cape Breton.
“No family this holiday season wants to find themselves in an emergency situation, let alone questioning if their closest ER is open or closed,” Bain said. “Cape Bretoners continue to voice their concerns with the government, but they are falling on deaf ears.”
The closures are cited as due to lack of physicians.
The PC caucus has blamed the closures not on physicians but on the government’s failure to recruit enough doctors.
“Health-care professionals deserve to spend time with their loved ones over the holidays and enjoy it. The only blame here should fall on the Liberals for not recruiting and retaining more doctors," Bain said.
The December update on the budget revealed that the McNeil Liberals spent $77 million above their budgeted amount on health care.
“This money is not translating on the ground. No one in Cape Breton feels like they’re getting $77 million worth of improved, reliable health care,” Ryan said.
