For Immediate Release
27 October, 2022
NL NDP Leader and MHA for St. John’s Centre, Jim Dinn, is frustrated that the provincial government has no plan for long term care in this province. Dinn said he does not accept the Minister’s continued use of the Covid-19 pandemic as cover for inaction. The NL NDP is calling on government to engage an expert in long term care who does not favour privatization of services to lead the review.
“We have presented petitions in the legislature about concerns about long term care in this province and members of both the PC opposition and Liberal government put their focus elsewhere,” said Dinn. “It was concerning to hear the PC acting leader in media calling for privatization of services when it should be obvious that another report like the Rothschild Report will not be in the best interests of patients. Profit has no place in healthcare.”
The NL NDP says government’s response is akin to their being shamed into action as they were on pay equity. The Registered Nurses Union outlining that 20% of hospital beds are people waiting to be moved to long term care, inappropriate photos being taken of patients in care, and empty beds due to low staffing, there are systemic issues within the system that need to be addressed with a view to bolster the system.
“A review of long term care in this province is something the NL NDP has called for and successive governments refused to act. We still don’t have confirmation that the RFP for the comprehensive human resources plan for health has been awarded,” said Dinn. “The Liberal government has to get to work and stop relying on excuses like the pandemic and global pressures to justify their inaction and lack of focus.”
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For further information, contact Eddy St. Coeur, Director of Communications, NDP Caucus at 729-2137 (o), or eddystcoeur@gov.nl.ca