NL Health Services is continuing to work on recruiting physicians and nurse practitioners to staff the Urgent Care Centre in Mount Pearl.
The health authority was responding to NAPE President Jerry Earle, who says government needs a “reality check” on the health care system.
The “rosy” picture government painted during a recent “state of the province” address is what prompted the leader of the province’s largest public sector union to chime in.
Earle cited the largely vacant Urgent Care Clinic as an example of shortcomings in the system.
“Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are actually paying $100,000 a month…for an empty building on the corner of Blackmarsh Road that should have been open six or nine months ago.”
A piece of tape now covers the ‘Urgent’ portion of the the sign in the west end (VOCM News)
NLHS says the Community Walk-In Clinic and Newcomer Health Clinic have operated out of the building since June, and effective October 5th, X-ray services will operate on the main level.
The health authority says information on the opening of the Urgent Care Centre will be shared once it is finalized.
Still a Ways to Go, Says Premier
Premier Tony Wakeham says he understands NAPE’s frustration with regards to the health care system.
Wakeham says he has frustrations with the system too, after what he calls “10 years of neglect” by the former government.
Wakeham admits that the health care system has “a long way to go,” but government is working on ways to recruit more people to fill vacant positions. For example, Wakeham says they have already had success in hiring more MRI staff.
