Nova Scotia announces sweeping changes to alleviate pressure on strained ERs
CTV
Nova Scotia has announced extra resources to alleviate the pressure on strained emergency departments, following the recent deaths of two women who waited hours for care.
Nova Scotia has announced extra resources to alleviate the pressure on strained emergency departments, following the recent deaths of two women who waited hours for care.
At a news conference Wednesday morning, health officials outlined extra measures to improve ambulance response times, address long wait times and overcrowding in Nova Scotia’s ERs, and offer people more places to receive care.
“The needs of the system have expanded and changed, but the system has not,” said Health Minister Michelle Thompson during the news conference.
“Our government was elected to change that ... after so many years of neglect. The past is not the future.”
The province says the following actions will ensure people who have the most urgent needs will receive care first in ERs:
The doctor-led teams will make immediate care decisions, both in the ER waiting rooms and in ambulance bays.
"To actually lead on the triaging very, very quickly, and getting them out of ambulances and into the ER quickly," said Gail Tomblin Murphy, chief nurse at Nova Scotia Health.
