The MLA for Victoria-The Lakes says CBRM hospital closures are causing a domino effect in Baddeck that will eventually lead to staff burnout.
Keith Bain says staff members at Victoria Co. Memorial Hospital are overwhelmed by an influx of patients from the Sydney area.
Bain tells The Hawk it’s likely to get worse with extra people in the region for tourism season.
“The number of people on the Island has doubled- or more than doubled in a lot of cases- and it’s overwhelming for everybody,” he says. “My concern (is) don’t make Baddeck a statistic like everybody else.”
Bain says it’s a symptom of long ER wait times in the CBRM.
He says people are coming to Baddeck from the Sydney area to try to avoid waiting in their local ERs.
Bain says the overburdened Baddeck ER is hard on doctors and their regular patients.
“Baddeck ER is very seldom closed, but doctors can only work for so long,” he says. “If they’re on call in the ER, they can’t take care of their own patients.”
Bain says some patients have experienced triple the wait times for an appointment with their family doctor.
He says it’s also not fair to doctors who have chosen to practice in a rural area.
