Support emergency, mental health care

Re Ontario should offer incentives to reverse psychiatrist shortage, report says, August 8

There is no denying the importance of support for sufferers of mental illness, especially in the wake of the recent tragedy on the Danforth in Toronto. A shortage of psychiatrists in the province is certainly not something to be left unaddressed, as the Coalition of Ontario Psychiatrists rightly warns in their report calling for incentives to increase the number of medical school graduates entering the field.

However, it is important to remember that support for sufferers of mental illness may be provided by many professionals. Bolstering the ranks of psychologists, therapists, counsellors, registered nurses and social workers (surely not an exhaustive list!) would improve access to care, and at a cheaper price tag than solely focusing on training more psychiatrists and increasing their pay.

Furthermore, increasing the number of these other health-care professionals would increase the availability of care and support outside traditional working hours.

Treating mental illness through psychiatrists alone is like adding chrome rims to your 2001 Civic. I mean, we all love a good chrome rim, but we should not forget about other ways to pimp our rides, or about other avenues to providing good quality mental health care. Marisa Reynen, registered nurse in local emergency department, Toronto

Re No quick fix to Nova Scotia emergency department closures, says official, August 8

An emergency service is meant to be continuously available with no disruptions. An unexpected closure of a rural ER places a community in jeopardy, and undermines the confidence of all in the integrity of their health-care system.

Ontario has not had one closed ER in a decade. The approach has been multifactorial, including: encouraged physician engagement in emergency services planning; enhanced training opportunities in emergency medicine; an alternate funding agreement to keep rural ERs viable; and a flexible, responsive physician replacement force to shore up those with shortterm staffing difficulties.

It is time for a new approach to the delivery of rural emergency care. Alan Drummond, co-chair, public affairs, Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, Ottawa