(June 3, 2022) – Paul Dinn, PC Official Opposition Shadow Minister for Health and Community Services and MHA for Topsail-Paradise, is expressing his concern over yet another example of the Minister of Health dismissing concerns of healthcare professionals.

“I join the call of the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association for Minister Haggie to apologize to Dr. Wendy House for his comments in the House of Assembly earlier this week. The Minister says it’s ‘difficult’ when health professionals speak out about their concerns,” said Dinn.

“The Minister doesn’t seem to understand the real difficulty is the state of the healthcare system in Newfoundland and Labrador, with 125,000 people without access to a family doctor, with frontline staff working 24-hour shifts, and with patients waiting in hallways for days or weeks for a bed. Dr. House is exactly the kind of voice the Minister should be listening to, not dismissing.”

Chris Tibbs, MHA for Grand Falls-Windsor – Buchans, says Dr. House is a respected voice in the Central region, who has dedicated her career to helping people and improving healthcare delivery throughout Central Newfoundland.

“One of the hallways where patients spend days or weeks waiting for a bed at the Central Newfoundland Regional Health Centre has been nicknamed ‘Haggie’s Hallway.’ That tells me the healthcare professionals and patients alike are at their wits end with their frustration over this Minister’s handling of the healthcare system and attitude toward professionals,” said Tibbs.

“The people of Central Newfoundland are watching family doctors leave, they’re watching emergency rooms put on diversion after diversion – it’s causing real hardship for families on the ground. The Minister’s out-of-touch attitude towards the concerns of our healthcare professionals is not helping. I join with my colleague and the NLMA in calling for the Minister to speak with Dr. House, apologize for his comments, and sit and listen to her concerns.”

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Contacts:

David Maher

Director of Strategic Communications

(cell) 709-725-0984

DavidMaher@gov.nl.ca