MCNEIL: WHERE IS THE NDPS PROVINCIAL ER COORDINATOR?
Date: Tuesday September 1, 2009

(Halifax, NS) Opposition leader Stephen McNeil is looking for answers
from the NDP government in the wake of more Annapolis Valley emergency
room closures.

“The NDP promised to solve emergency room closures by hiring of
provincial ER coordinator,” said McNeil. “Months later, Nova
Scotians are still waiting for that position to be filled.”

As of next week, the emergency department at the Annapolis Community
Health Clinic will be closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays until further
notice - the latest in a string of summer ER shutdowns across the
province. McNeil believes the provincial coordinator needs to get to
work sooner than later.

“Back in July, the NDP health minister indicated that a shortlist for
ER coordinator was being developed - we’ve heard nothing since,”
McNeil stated. “Meanwhile, emergency rooms have been closed for nearly
2400 hours since that time and it doesn’t appear that we’re any
closer to addressing this critical situation.”

McNeil says finding the answers for Nova Scotia’s emergency
healthcare system needs to be one of government’s top priorities. So
far, the Liberal leader isn’t convinced ERs are high enough on the NDP
agenda.

“The NDP made a lot of promises during the election campaign -
unfortunately, none of those promises have been delivered.”


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