Liberal health critic Leo Glavine says the province must bring an end to the number of paramedics leaving our province for greener pastures.
“We cannot afford to lose our paramedics – we will have a paramedic shortage in addition to our doctor shortage,” says Glavine. “An exodus of our paramedics puts this government’s health care plans at risk, reduces the reliability of our ambulances and emergency response teams, and will increase wait times.”
Glavine says losing paramedics puts the government’s CEC model at risk.
“Without paramedics we cannot have properly staffed CECs and that will mean the money spent by this government to shift towards a new model could be wasted,” says Glavine. “Paramedics have taken on an increasingly important role in health care delivery in Nova Scotia.”
Glavine points out fewer paramedics means staffing challenges for CECs and that will put pressure on emergency rooms.
“We will have more people going to emergency rooms,” says Glavine. “Because of our doctor shortage, an influx of people to ERs will mean even longer wait times for emergency service if people can find an ER that’s open.”
Glavine says in addition to setting records for ER closures, this government will also increase wait times.
“It’s bad enough that this government is closing ERs and forcing people to travel longer distances to receive emergency care,” says Glavine. “This government needs to take action to keep paramedics in this province – it’s simply a matter of public safety.”
