Shelburne ER closes for several days, despite promises of more staff

Despite promises that staffingwould improve, residents of Shelburne County will have to travel almost an hour to get emergency care over partsof the holidays.

That's because the county's only emergency room,at Shelburne's Roseway Hospital, will be closed Christmas Eve at 6 p.m. until Saturday, Dec. 26, at 8 a.m.It will close again Monday, Dec. 28, at 8 p.m.until Dec. 29 at 8 a.m.

In October, Health Minister Leo Glavine and Health Authority CEO Janet Knox travelled to Shelburne to announce additional staff would be hired for the ER, which has been closed for more than 500 hours this past year.

• Roseway Hospitalto get new staff to ease ER crunch

They were met by over 100 people who were upset about the closures and the impact on residents who need emergency care.

Health Authority spokesman Fraser Mooney told CBC News he understands the community's frustration with the closures but assures people they are working to reduce them.

"We have increased the number of locum or temporary physicians who have expressed an interest in being available to cover emergency department shifts at Roseway Hospital in Shelburne, and they have been scheduled a number of times over the past month," he said.

Same situationlast year

Mooney said they had a similar situation last year. "Ithink it's a combination of factors, but with the Christmas holiday in there it is difficult to find someone who is willing to come in and do a temporary shift in the emergency department," Mooney said.

ShelburneMayor Karen Mattatall calls the situation frustrating, disappointing and worrisome.

"It was our understanding that the province had put in place a team of people including advanced-care paramedics and had hired new nursing staff that should reduce or prevent the closures at Roseway Hospital. However, it doesn't seem to be happening yet," she said.

Mooney said reducing closures continues to be a priority.

He said they've had somesuccess"but we're still going to have challenges with some deficits as a result of physician coverage."

Shelburne lost its dedicated ER doctor, Wouna Chaloner, because the health authority refused to compensate her when her scheduled shifts were cancelled because of nursing shortages.

• Doctordenied $15K bonus for cancelledER work

During his October announcement, Glavine said six new doctors have been identified to fill in for doctors who were away. He also said two new family physicians willstart in 2016. Mooney says that will be later in the new year.

"We don't have a firm start for both of them but they have been identified. They are still planning to come and we're really looking forward to having them provide services to the people of Shelburne County," he said.