Staffing ERs at Shelburne, Digby hospitals an ongoing challenge

do not work in the emergency departments, they are providing primary health care to more people in Shelburne and Digby. These patients who are part of a collaborative practice will not have to go to the emergency department for some basic primary health-care services.”

A new family doctor is also now practising at the medical clinic in Weymouth.

“While we have seen some success, we know there is plenty of work to do,” said Mooney, noting they’d just had a site visit of a doctor who is very interested in practising in Shelburne County. “It is still a few years before the doctor will be in a position to make the move, but we are hopeful to make a positive announcement in the future.”

Mooney said in both Shelburne and Digby counties the health authority’s primary health-care team has been meeting with municipal leaders, local foundations and others to talk about how to improve access to primary healthcare services and to better share information with the community.

“One of the big topics discussed at these meetings has been recruitment and retention of health professionals and how we can work together to promote the local area,” he said.

Mooney said the NSHA is adding resources and additional support to the doctor recruitment team in the zone, has recently launched a new NSHA doctor recruitment website as part of a larger marketing strategy and has a renewed focus on international medical graduates.

“As a provincial health authority, we are in a better position to do planning across the zone and across the province for issues like recruitment and emergency services,” he said. “I have said before that it is important to understand that emergency departments in Nova Scotia are part of an integrated network of emergency care.”

While certain sites can be closed from time to time, the overall emergency system is never closed.

“This is due to access to Emergency Health Services such as 911, and transfers and collaboration between facilities. One example of this is working closely with neighbouring hospitals, such as Digby and Annapolis, to co-ordinate schedules as best we can to help make sure there is emergency department coverage in the region,” Mooney said. “So, there will continue to be challenges in staffing emergency departments, but the work and planning towards maintaining services continues.”