Premier Stephen McNeil, Health Minister Randy Delorey and Janet Knox, the CEO of the Nova Scotia Health Authority will soon receive a strongly worded letter from the Town of Shelburne.
The letter was penned by Mayor Karen Mattatall about the spate of closures of the emergency department at Roseway Hospital.
Mattatall begins the letter by reminding all three that they have a responsibility.
She says that responsibility is to ensure that people’s right to access to health care, regardless of where they live, as guaranteed under the Canada Health Act, is upheld.
Mattatall says the message is that the province better start doing its job.
“They need to ensure that we have family doctors, that our ER is open 24-7, that we can access services locally. Decision making, the last time it worked well, was when it was made at the local level.”
Mattatall says she had to tone down the letter because she has become so frustrated with what is happening with health care delivery in Shelburne.
“I’ve certainly passed my level of frustration with ER closures. Long weekends, three days when you have no access. It’s not acceptable, it’s unconscionable, it’s borderline criminal.”
