Saint John hospital staff suffer burnout, Shephard hears in virtual consult

Long-term care workers and hospital staff inSaint John are burned-out buthesitant about taking needed time off for their mental health, according to participants in the province's latest virtual health-care consultation session.

The province's latest in a series of public consultation sessions briefly turned from concerns by patients in the Saint John area, to those of the workers staffing the facilitiesin that region, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Thursday session was one out of a total of 48 being held for communities across New Brunswick, ahead of the Department of Health's creation of a new five-year healthcare plan for the province.

Following introductions by Health Minister Dorothy Shephard andStphane Robichaud, CEO of the New Brunswick Health Council, participants from the public were divided into breakout groupswhere they discussed their concerns around health-care in the region. Following that, a facilitator for each group presented to the entire group what the top concerns of the members were.

Staff are working 'around the clock'

"When it comes to staff burnout, the long-term care workers as well as hospital workers are working around the clock," said Stephanie Davidson, a facilitator for one of the breakout groups.

"They're burnt-out. Mental health is very challenging for them."

Davidson said there's also been "some talk" of consequences for nursing staff if they're not able to work or need time off, adding they are "not feeling really comfortable to take the time off they need for their mental health."

She also said members of her group shared that the problem seems to be compounded by staff leaving New Brunswick to take better paid, lower stress jobs in Western Canada.

Receiving care in language of choice

Aside from those issues, Davidson said her members also shared concern over access to primary care, receiving service in one's mother tongue and long wait times to receive a family doctor.

"There's also a lot of reporting on family doctors and a lack of having access to one having to wait three years to get a doctor.

"Some people are driving 45 minutes to an hour to Moncton to see a colitis specialist. It's very costly and very expensive."

Gabrielle Bernard, another group facilitator, said the two participants in her group shared concerns about not being served in their preferred language of French in Saint John.

"So it is suggested, in fact, to hire as soon as possible bilingual staff, not only physicians and nurses, but also theambulance attendants," said Bernard, speaking through simultaneous translation.

'Exaggerated' pay increases unrealistic

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Shephardsaid she recognizes the efforts being made by long-term care andhealth-care staff working under enormous pressures and constraints, especiallyduring the pandemic.

In terms of a solution to retain those staff and dissuade them from leaving the province, Shephardreferred to ongoing negotiations with unions representing those workers.

"I think it's unrealistic to think that there will be exaggerated increases in salaries bargaining groups certainlyare at the table and conversations will continue," she said.

Shephard also said the work environments need to be addressed

"I believe that having a full workforce certainly makes it easier for people to to do their jobs and to feel like they are supported."

Report expected by June

The province kicked off its virtual consultation tour in Sackville at the beginning of March. The last one will be held for residents of the Edmundston region on April 27.

The tour comes just overa year after the provinceintroduced plans to close nighttime ER services for six hospitals in smaller community. After receiving intense public backlash, the provincequickly backed out.

On Thursday, Shephardreiterated Higgs's earlier pledge that reductions in ER services in any hospital is off the table this time around.

She said she's down to just six more sessions, after which, she and staff will "compile and delineate a lot of information," before presenting a draft document by June.