St. John’s, NL (January 27, 2025) – Tony Wakeham, Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party and MHA for Stephenville-Port au Port, spoke out again today about the continuing failure of the Furey Liberals to deliver timely access to healthcare for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

Wakeham pointed to a recent study from the C.D. Howe Institute which listed Newfoundland and Labrador’s healthcare system as last in the country for access to care and second last in preventative care.

“Unfortunately, I’m not surprised by these facts,” said Wakeham. “This study confirms what our Caucus has been hearing for years about the poor record of the Furey Liberal Government in healthcare access.  The Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association has stated there are 163,000 residents without access to a family doctor – this is a sign of a Government that has failed the people of the province.”

Wakeham said the Official Opposition office receives phone calls and emails on an ongoing basis from people worried about the poor state of the province’s healthcare system. He also noted that social media continues to be filled with stories of people waiting long hours in emergency rooms, waiting days on stretchers in hospital hallways, and waiting excessive periods for basic diagnostic care.

“In Corner Brook, patients have had to wait 30 hours in the emergency room. The lack of family doctors in the central region has resulted in delayed patient follow-up, delayed diagnosis and worsening outcomes.  A cancer patient in Conception Bay North had to wait over a year for an MRI.  In Labrador, patients are routinely bumped off medivac flights. In St. John’s, the Health Sciences Centre has seniors and other critically ill patients lined up on stretchers in corridors for days.  This is simply not good enough.”

Wakeham repeated his calls for a Health Human Resource strategy that would address the wait times and improve access to healthcare in all areas of the province.

“After 10 years, we have an old, tired Liberal Government that has run out of ideas.  The people of the province can be assured that a new PC Government under my leadership will deal with these issues head-on. We will implement real solutions to improve healthcare throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.”