Cape Breton being left behind on health care

Auditor General's report shows disproportionate wait times for mental health

Halifax – MLA Tammy Martin is concerned about the state of health care following a report from the Auditor General that provides troubling insights into the state of mental health services and primary care.

Average wait times for mental health referrals vary across the province. Patients can wait over 400 days in Sydney compared to between 61 to 102 days in Halifax. According to the Auditor General, there is no province-wide plan for mental health services and the care provided is inconsistent based on where you live.

“It is unacceptable that people struggling with mental illness in Cape Breton don’t get the same services as patients in Halifax. I want to know what the Liberal government is doing about this,” said Martin, who is also the NDP spokesperson for Health and Wellness. “We have two Cabinet Ministers in Cape Breton and, yet, it is clear we’re not getting the support we need from Halifax. The people of Cape Breton deserve answers.”

The Auditor General has also pointed out the Liberal government is not monitoring the current processes to recruit doctors or communicating effectively about their plan. Martin and NDP Leader Gary Burrill attended a rally this month is Sydney organized by residents concerned about the state of health care in Cape Breton.

“The Auditor General report confirms what I am hearing every day. People don’t know what the Liberals are doing on health care,” said Martin. “We have thousands of people, including pregnant women and chronically ill patients, without a family doctor and all we hear from the Liberal government is that they are working on it. In my books, that isn’t good enough. Cape Breton deserves better.”

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