Opposition calling on government to create a human resource strategy in light of emergency room closures

    Friday, 5 January 2024 07:00

    By Tonya Organ

    Barry Petten says he has seen pictures of patients sat on floors, stretchers in hallways, and sick seniors waiting days for a bed.

    Opposition health critic Barry Petten, says the Liberals love a good photo op, but just don’t seem to have a plan to follow it.  He has seen pictures of patients sat on floors, stretchers in hallways, and sick seniors waiting days for a bed. Petten says emergency rooms are overcrowded and operating over capacity, and NL Health Services tweeted recently, “if you don’t have an emergency don't go to the emergency department.” Petten says NL has been waiting 8 years for a health human resources strategy and there are still 136,000 people in NL without a family doctor. He says there are 600 nursing vacancies and emergency rooms around the province routinely close because of a lack of staff. 

     

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