Summertime emergency room closures affecting patients

SYDNEY-- Numerous unscheduled closures of emergency rooms in Nova Scotia this summer are worrying patients who have to jump from hospital to hospital for care.

Recently, New Waterford resident Greg MacLeod was sent to the Cape Breton Regional Hospital after waiting for two hours at the Glace Bay emergency room. MacLeod was triaged and registered at Glace Bay but not admitted before the emergency department closed. At the Regional, he was immediately moved into an isolation room and diagnosed with shingles, a serious and potentially contagious virus.

“I’m upset because I feel like I was basically refused treatment. I was presenting with symptoms that indicated a contagious disease and instead of addressing that concern I was caught up in the bureaucracy of emergency room closures in Cape Breton,” said MacLeod. “People are getting frustrated and are going without necessary health care services.”

Emergency room closures have been constant this summer around the province including the closure of the Northside emergency department for the full month of August. Last weekend, the NSHA posted 11 notices of temporary closures, this weekend five notices have been posted so far.

“People are increasingly worried about whether or not their local emergency room will be open when they need care,” said Tammy Martin, NDP Spokesperson for Health. “The situation is getting worse and people can’t seem to get the care they need.”

The Liberal government has decided to close two emergency rooms in Cape Breton and the Nova Scotia Health Authority has said that other emergency rooms in the province are under review.

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