By Mark Squibb/July 15, 2022
Fast on the heels of a demonstration held in Trepassey two weeks ago, Ferryland MHA Loyola O’Driscoll says the doctor shortage is a worry in his district.
“It’s certainly a big concern,” said O’ Driscoll. “It puts a lot of stress on people. Along with the ambulance issue we’ve had for the last year, now there’s the doctor issue. And I think it could be resolved if they just sat down at the table, I think it could be figured out.”
O’Driscoll’s comment on ‘ambulance issue’ was a reference to the Department of Health and Community Services’ decision to pull one of the two ambulances out of Trepassey and relocate it to Ferryland Emergency Services based in Cape Broyle.
The demonstration was held outside the clinic June 30 to mark the departure of Dr. Heather Cuddy, who had served in the area for the last three years. Cuddy and Eastern Health could not reach an agreement over a position which would see Cuddy working out of Holyrood, but also serving Trepassey and Ferryland.
“It’s hard to get doctors in rural areas, but she was interested in the job, and they couldn’t figure out how to make that happen,” said O’ Driscoll. “I know, they can’t give away the world, but they could certainly sit down and figure this out. And that doesn’t seem to be what they’re doing… Being a doctor in rural Newfoundland is different than being a doctor in St. John’s or Corner Brook or Gander, and those big centres. In rural Newfoundland, the issues are different, but I think they can be rectified, I really do.”
A week after the demonstration, Premier Andrew Furey announced that Minister of Health John Haggie and Community Services Minister of Education Tom Osborne would be swapping seats. Haggie had served as Minister of Health nigh on seven years, being first appointed to the position in 2015, while Osbourne had served as Minister of Education for almost two years, being appointed in August 2020. Osbourne had served as Health Minister for about 10 months in the Danny Williams PC government in 2006-2007.
O’Driscoll welcomed the change so long as it means a call back from the Minister’s office.
“I’ve made calls to Minister Haggie’s office, I’ve sent a text and e-mails, and, well, I hope the new person that’s in there, Minister Osbourne, is going to get back to me quicker than Minister Haggie did,” said O’Driscoll. “He hasn’t responded to me. I’ve sent a text and probably three e-mails over the last three or four weeks, and no response whatsoever. I’m just asking him to call me... that’s disappointing to me. And hopefully this minister will get back to me, and I think he will, just based on dealing with him in Education, he would certainly answer your call or call you back. The previous minister seemed disinterested to me in the last three or four weeks, or month, or last couple of months.”
The next step, said O’ Driscoll, is to arrange a meeting with Osborne.
“I think these problems can be solved,” said O’Driscoll.
In regards to the Health Accord, the Liberal Government’s 10 year health plan (which reminds those interested in reading it that Newfoundland has the worst life expectancy, highest death rates for cancer, cardiac disease and stroke, and highest rate of chronic disease in Canada, along with both the highest per capita spending on health care and worst health system performance across Canada), O’ Driscoll said the PC caucus has met with the plan’s co-chairs Sister Elizabeth Davis and Dr. Pat Parfrey, and while he allows there are good parts to the plan, what is needed now in his district are solutions, not the statement of long-term goals.
“That’s a long-term plan, but we need some solutions now,” said the member.
