Houston government announces emergency care changes; opposition asks about recruitment
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NDP leader Claudia Chender praised the initiatives to improve access to primary care. But she noted more rural emergency departments are closing for longer periods of time because of staffing issues, and no action was taken to offer bonuses to retain workers.
She also questioned whether the province can deliver on its promise to provide more online appointments with family doctors.
“There is a privatization creep happening,” Chender said. “When they say they are going to expand virtual care, we know that most people trying to access virtual care right now can’t. And we know there is an option where they can pay. We’re not sure that Maple is operating within the bounds of the Canada Health Act. We know there is a push for privatization in Ontario. We don’t want to see that here.
“I heard a story yesterday about an elderly man trying to access a walk-in clinic. They said, ‘We will text you on your cellphone. You can’t wait here.’ And he said, ‘I don’t have a vehicle and I don’t have a cellphone.’ He was refused care. I think we have a big issue when we look at digital solutions to what are sometimes analog problems.”
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