An NDP MLA is urging the province to do something after several patients waited more than 70 hours at a health centre in Lower Sackville to be transferred to inpatient care.
Paul Wozney told our newsroom, it was Tuesday when a frontline worker at the Cobequid Community Health Centre alerted him over the state of the emergency room.
“I got a phone call midday from a frontline healthcare worker in my office and said, ‘you have to come and see this for yourself. I can’t explain how bad things are’,” said Wozney.
He said the facility that has 26 beds to provide emergency care, had 18 of them taken up by patients who had been treated by emergency staff.
It means, within 24 hours, they should be receiving follow up care from either acute care or an inpatient ward.
“These people were severely ill. These are people that had major heart ailments. You know, major orthopedic crises like a hip or a pelvis fracture or stroke,” said Wozney.
In addition to that, he stressed, that’s 18 beds not providing emergency care to a waiting room “chocked full” of people who don’t have family doctors.
And a patient who had suffered a stroke was told they would not be seen the same day.
“It was kind of the worst day they ever had in the emergency at Cobequid and I just thought… man, this is something that deserves attention,” explained Wozney.
A letter
Wozney said Tim Houston and his government made promises in Sackville across multiple elections that they would expand the centre.
This would include 39 inpatient beds; but it is unclear when it will be followed through.
After Tuesday, Wozney wrote a letter to Minister of Health Michelle Thompson to take “immediate action” to remedy the “extreme pressures” the centre’s emergency department and care team are facing.
“I request that you communicate to the people of Sackville-Cobequid when your government will deliver on its promise to expand this facility and enhance the capacity and range of care for our community and all those who rely on it,” said Wozney in the letter.
“They deserve to know when and how you will keep your commitment to them.”
Review underway
The province said there is some work underway to determine what the best locations would be for 24/7 emergency departments.
In an emailed statement to our newsroom, Minister Michelle Thompson gave this statement:
“Nova Scotia Health is undergoing a review of its existing buildings and services in Central Zone. This review – called master planning – will identify where various services should go and opportunities for improvements and modernization. This effort will include Cobequid Community Health Centre.
Master planning is a foundational step toward understanding the potential projects to support modernizing healthcare infrastructure and putting services in the right places. Once complete the master plan for Central Zone will map where services will be provided and how. This will be in early 2027.
The community will hear more as that Central planning process continues.”
