Liberals' lack of response to health care crisis makes room for private health clinic

HALIFAX -- A new private, for-profit clinic in Halifax is raising concerns about the state of public health care in Nova Scotia. The clinic has listed both the Province of Nova Scotia and Innovacorp as partners.

“When a clinic like this can open and offer health care services for a fee, we have to ask, what is the McNeil government doing to protect public health care?” said NDP Leader Gary Burrill. “We have thousands of people waiting for a family doctor and our hospitals busy with patients who should be in long-term care, so it’s distressing to see that the province is not only allowing, but supporting, private companies profiting from people’s health care needs.”

The new clinic, Unified Health, is being called a pilot project and will treat people with non-urgent health needs. Patients can be seen by a nurse practitioner for 15 minutes at a cost of $35 a visit.

“This is very disturbing. Not only is the Liberal government ignoring the health care crisis, but the Liberals are sending a message to for-profit clinics that Nova Scotia is a place to set up shop,” said NDP Health Spokesperson Tammy Martin. “Accessing health care shouldn’t rely on the size of your paycheque. The McNeil Liberals are taking us down a road where health care will only be available to people who can afford it.”

This weekend, representatives from Doctors Nova Scotia spoke to the media about concerns with the clinic, including how private, for-profit clinics can erode people’s access to public health care.

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