St. Alban's mayor optimistic about resumption of health services, but protests set to continue
Garrett Barry | CBC News | Posted: July 18, 2020 2:32 PM | Last Updated: July 18, 2020
Emergency services have been shut down for 11 of last 14 weeks
A plan to reopen the emergency room in St. Alban's is just a few steps away from being finalized, according to the town's mayor, but residents in the area are pledging to keep up their weekly protests at the community clinic.
The emergency room at the Bay d'Espoir Community Health Centre has been closed for 11 of the past 14 weeks, and ambulances are being sent to Harbour Breton — more than 100 kilometres away.
After multiple protests in the area, Mayor Gail Hoskins said Thursday that a plan to restart services, and bring in two doctors, is being evaluated by health authorities. She is expecting good news in the next few days.
"We're very close to having that plan pushed forward," said Hoskins.
"There are a couple of things that they want to make sure are checked before we present to the minister, and the minister of health is very aware of the situation."
Hoskins said Central Health has identified two doctors that are "extremely" interested in coming to the region and is finalizing details with them.
"It's not happening, obviously, fast enough for us," she said. "But it is happening."
Central Health shut down the emergency room at the health centre on April 12, attributing the change to "current unavailability of physician services." Services resumed in May, but only for three weeks, because the doctor responsible for running the emergency room left the community.
In June and July, residents of the area organized protests to pressure politicians and Central Health to address the closure. Another is being planned for next week, despite the mayor's optimism.
"We will be demonstrating here again," said David Howse, who organized and filmed some of the protests. "We'll keep doing this every week until we get what we want."
"We have patience, it's not about that," added Rhonda Harding, who is part of an advocacy group for the area. "It's, if nothing has been [done] in the past five months, then why do we think something's going to be done in the next week? We've lost faith."
Harding said Central Health could prioritize opening the emergency room intermittently, as there is doctor coverage in the area for two days every two weeks.
"We don't need to hear another two weeks or another month down the road," she said. "We need services today. People will surely die without it."
"My husband was in the hospital last week for cardiac issues. I know full well that anyone with a heart attack, they're not going to make it to Harbour Breton or [Grand Falls-Windsor]."
A spokesperson for Central Health said in a statement Thursday that the health authority is "putting a lot of effort into finding a short-term solution," and does "acknowledge the importance of this service."
"We have been in close contact with local officials and will provide those details once we have something to put in place," the statement read.
Hoskins said the new plan has been worked on by local town councils and by Central Health, and will see two physicians come to the region in an effort to prevent another closure.
"That's our biggest fear, is that we get all of this in place and our doctors basically leave again. We cannot let that happen this time around."
The mayor suggested this approach will prevent burnout, and entice the doctors to stay longer.
She also says there is a clear need for a long-term strategy in the region.
"We are looking at developing a longer, sustainable model of health-care delivery for the whole coast, but of course we need to fix Bay d'Espoir first."