Office of the Official Opposition 

For Immediate Release

Trepassey Clinic Left Without Medical Services: Hutchings Presses Health Minister for Immediate Action

St. John’s, NL (April 4. 2019) – Keith Hutchings, PC MHA for Ferryland, is demanding that Health Minister John Haggie answer immediately why the clinic in Trepassey is without medical services now that the local physician has retired.

“In December, I advised the Minister of the necessity of beginning the process to ensure replacement services were in place by April 1.”

Hutchings was told in February that Eastern Health was assessing the service model.  “We were advised that the model would consist of a Nurse Practitioner, and two part-time physicians whose contracts were being negotiated would also be part of model.  On March 14th, two representatives from Eastern Health met with the Southern Shore Joint Council in Ferryland for an update and at that time indicated that only recently had a position for a Nurse Practitioner been posted, with a closing date of March 28.  The Eastern Health representatives also indicated that the negotiations with physicians were ongoing, and they intended to have supports in place by April 1.  I asked officials to be available to brief residents and advise them of their plan, but no public discussion has taken place, and residents are extremely concerned and frustrated about their current and future medical care.”

Hutchings said people have been waiting since early February for a public meeting that was intended to give residents insight into how services would be delivered – but that meeting did not occur.  “I spoke again with the Mayor of Trepassey this week, and had it confirmed to me that this briefing has still not been set up.  The lead time is gone.  The position is vacant.  People need action immediately.”

“These residents are three hours from an acute care facility in St John’s and now don’t even have a physician or other medical services in their region.  It is not good enough, by a long shot.  This is a continuation of this current Liberal Government’s lack of attention to many items in Ferryland District, whether it’s health care, road upgrades, education infrastructure or maximizing economic activity.  It is nothing short of shameful and smells of picking and choosing based on political colour.  People deserve much better from their government.”

Contacts:

Bradley Russell, Director of Policy and Research

(p) 1.709.729.3668, (c) 1.709.685.3161

BradleyRussell@gov.nl.ca

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