ER deaths increase in 2023, first three quarters total higher than all of 2022

HALIFAX – According to new FOI information, more people died in Nova Scotia emergency departments in the first three quarters of 2023 than in all of 2022. Over 630 people died in ERs between January 1 and September 30 this year. Last year 593 people died in emergency rooms.

“This government is failing to address the crisis in our emergency rooms and it is resulting in more deaths,” said NDP Leader Claudia Chender. “We hear from frontline workers, nurses, paramedics and patients that the stress on the emergency health care system is out of control. We need to do more and we need to do it now.”

In January of this year, the Houston government said they would address the state of ERs in our province after the high-profile deaths of two women who were seeking emergency care.

“We need a government that’s ready to support health care workers and the public,” said NDP Health and Wellness spokesperson Susan Leblanc. “The Houston government needs to answer the questions we all have about why these numbers are getting worse and what they’re doing to improve emergency care so that people have confidence that they’ll get the care they need when they need it.”

There are over 144,000 Nova Scotians on the Family Practice Waitlist. According to recent FOIPOP results, 55,000 Nova Scotians left the ER without being seen last year, up from 43,000 the year before.

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