‘This is a crisis’: How COVID is amplifying health-care staffing shortages in the North

The Northwest Territories and Nunavut are no strangers to staffing gaps and service disruptions, and many communities are often reliant on visiting staff from Southern Canada.

Health-care facilities across Canada have been grappling with worker shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic, but struggles to recruit and retain staff are nothing new in the North.

The Northwest Territories and Nunavut are no strangers to staffing gaps and service disruptions, where many communities have limited resources and are often reliant on visiting staff from Southern Canada.

Dr. Courtney Howard, a longtime emergency physician in Yellowknife who worked her last shift at Stanton Territorial Hospital last month before going on a one-year leave, says the situation has gone from “kind of cheerful strain” to one of real worry doctors won’t be able to meet basic necessary coverage.

Howard, who is now pursuing a master’s degree in public policy, says doctors who don’t usually work alone in the emergency department helped keep it staffed with remote backup from regular ER doctors.

COVID-19 amplified staffing challenges, with many professionals working extended hours and unable to take vacation time, she said, adding shortages at health centres across the territory put additional strain on the capital’s hospital. Health services have been reduced in 14 communities across the N.W.T., including 10 where only emergency services are available.

N.W.T. Health Minister Julie Green said at the end of June the vacancy rate was 26 per cent for the territorial health and social services authority, 50 per cent for the Tlicho Community Services Agency, and 13.5 per cent for the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority.

Several health centres in Nunavut have also faced service reductions and temporary closures this summer due to a lack of staff.

CBC reported in June that half of the permanent nursing positions were empty at Nunavut’s health department.