Pressing the Premier on access to primary healthcare - QP
CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : My question is for the Premier. The government has finally released the family doctor wait-list numbers for October, and it's not looking good. There are over 40,000 more people on the list than when the government was elected last Summer. The band-aid Virtual Care NS program is also bursting at the seams with people now logging on in the morning to see that the platform is full for the day, unless they pay a fee.
The Premier has questioned the accuracy of the doctor wait-list numbers, but one thing that can't be questioned is that thousands of people in this province don't have access to the health care they need.
My question to the Premier is: When will the people of this province have access to a continuous primary care provider?
THE PREMIER « » : Well, Mr. Speaker, honestly, it's the goal of our government, of all Nova Scotians, that every Nova Scotian have a family doctor. That's our wish, for sure. That's also the wish for every Canadian. Unfortunately, it's not a reality right now, just with the changes of demographics, but we're committed to making sure that Nova Scotians have access to care.
I don't want to allow the Opposition to confuse the fact that being on the list does not equal not having access to care. We have a number of people on the list who are accessing Virtual Care NS. The Leader of the NDP, the third party, can refer to that as a band-aid, but I can assure you, Mr. Speaker, that the thousands of people who access care through Virtual Care NS are happy that they have that mechanism.
We'll continue to build on it. There is work to be done, but there is work being done as well.
CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : Mr. Speaker, ask anyone in this province who has any serious medical condition whether a walk-in clinic or virtual care and no continuous health care is sufficient and every single one of them will say no.
The Need a Family Practice Registry probably isn't accurate. It is almost certainly much higher. The wait-list says 116,000 people don't have a doctor, but according to Statistics Canada, it's upward of one in four Nova Scotians who, in fact, do not have access to primary care.
Mr. Speaker, how long will Nova Scotians have to wait before they have access to a doctor?
THE PREMIER « » : Mr. Speaker, I assure the member that there is an incredible amount of work being done on this side of the House.
There is a lot of work to be done, there's no question. We know what we inherited. We inherited it with our eyes wide open, and we were forthright with Nova Scotians that it would take time.
It's taking time. It will take more time. It will take time and it will cost money. We have a significant investment in health care. We are investing the time. We recruited a record number of doctors. We offered jobs to every graduating nursing student. We're adding more nursing students. We are exploring a new medical school.
Mr. Speaker, there is a lot of work being done, but I assure you there will always be work to be done and this is the government that is rolling up their sleeves again to work on it.
CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : Mr. Speaker, let's talk about what this government inherited. We know that the primary care situation is bad all across the province, but in the words of a local columnist, it has exploded in the Central Zone. In 2020, the government inherited 4,000 people in the Central Zone on the registry. There are now 47,000 people in the Central Zone on that list.
People in all areas of the province need care, but recently, the Premier quietly ended the incentives for new doctors setting up in the Central Zone. As one family medicine resident put it, it boggles the mind. It does not appear that government is making the primary care situation better. Will the Premier admit that it was a mistake to cancel that incentive?
THE PREMIER « » : No, Mr. Speaker. The issues in health care are province-wide for sure, there's no question about that. The solutions are also province-wide. That's why we're opening up urgent care centres in North Sydney, Parrsboro, Pictou County. We understand that all Nova Scotians, regardless of where they live, have a right . . . (Interruptions)
THE SPEAKER « » : Order, please. The Premier has the floor.
The honourable Premier.
THE PREMIER « » : We understand this is a province-wide issue and I assure you that with the work being done, we will get to the bottom of this. We will make sure that we fix health care in this province or we will give everything we have trying to do that.