Loss of emergency clinic has Bay d'Espoir, Conne River residents looking for solutions
Concerns over access to health care in Bay d'Espoir and Conne River took a turn this week when emergency services at the St. Alban's clinic were shut down.
Rhonda Harding of St. Alban's, who organized a public information session about the loss of the clinic, said the closure means about 3,100 people will have to travel an hour and a half away to Harbour Breton or Grand Falls-Windsor.
"That's on a good day," says Harding. "Sometimes it's impassable because of snow.
"Think of a cardiac patient. Someone will surely die if chest compressions have to be done for an hour and a half, if not the patient than the paramedic."
Hundreds of people from the region gathered Thursday night for the information session, remaining in their vehicles with the discussion broadcast over a loudspeaker to maintain distance under public health guidelines for the COVID-19 pandemic.
It's not the first time the region has lost emergency services. It's not even the first time this year.
The clinic isn't currently getting replacement locum doctors, because due to the pandemic, doctors just aren't willing to travel, said Harding.
"Doctors are essential workers. Construction workers are traveling; doctors should be traveling."
The clinic previously experienced a loss of emergency services in April.
At that time, virtual services were put in place to help but Harding says that doesn't work during emergencies.
Harding says they need to attract new doctors.
"What we're looking for is equal pay for the physicians of our clinic, as any other facility on the island that is categorized a B category. At this point we apparently are not categorized at all."
But Central Health CEO Andrée Robichaud says that's only part of the issue.
"It's a national issue in terms of trying to recruit people."
Robichaud says young doctors aren't looking for clinics in which they would work alone, but rather facilities in which they are part of a team.
That makes recruiting for rural areas across the country difficult, even with the pandemic making travel harder.
Robichaud says they are looking at altering the way they work in the area entirely.
"We're actually trying to get to develop a primary-care model that will be attractive," he said.
"Pay is one part of it, I agree 100 per cent. But there are multiple other things that we need to look at and to try to get a model that will service the whole region."
A steady 'erosion' of service
For now, Central Health says the best they can do is virtual care, and a doctor that is on site for two days a week, every two weeks, and they're working to fill the gap in the near future.
Robichaud says she understands residents' concern about emergencies.
"When someone is worried about their health, they should call [an ambulance] and they'll either be transported to the Harbour Breton hospital or to Grand Falls, depending on the condition that they're in.
"We're confident that the ambulance system will do what needs to be done."
Harding isn't so confident, calling what's happened a steady erosion for the region.
"We initially had three doctors at our clinic. Last year one of the doctors, a longtime doctor here in the community, he passed and that position was taken away," she said.
"I know everybody struggles with not having a doctor.… For us in the Bay d'Espoire region, It means that our closest health centre is an hour and a half away.
"We're certain people will surely die if this continues for any amount of time."
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