*An earlier version of this story didn’t make clear sexual assault services are available to South Shore residents. That information has now been included. We apologize for any confusion the omission may have caused.
It appears a program set to assist rape victims won’t be landing in the South Shore in the near future.
The Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner or SANE program was meant to launch from South Shore Regional Hospital this fall.
But according to Provincial SANE Coordinator Susan Wilson, an inability to hire and train enough nurses will see the rollout delayed by several months.
Wilson says there’s a process that can’t be rushed when setting up the program.
“Recruiting the proper people who are well-suited and want to do this work and have the proper training, and then the ability to maintain that competency going forward.”
Wilson says some nurses at the hospital did receive training in 2015.
“They have a roster of nurses there. Their roster has been dwindling since that time with no sustainable money. The nurses were trained with some grant funding.”
As a result of the temporary funding, they were unable to actively recruit and train nurses.
Wilson expects to be able to complete the hiring and have the program running in the next several months.
Anyone needing to access the province’s SANE services will have to access them by phone 1-833-577-SANE (7263) or travel to either Halifax or Yarmouth.
However, she points out any ER in the province can perform a rape kit and in the South Shore, Harbour House is available to provide services to people in need 24 hours a day by calling 1-888-543-3999 or 902-543-3999.
More information on the SANE program can be found by clicking this link.
Reported by: Ed Halverson
Twitter: @edwardhalverson
E-mail: halverson.ed@radioabl.ca
