4000 people added to doctor wait list

New numbers released by government

HALIFAX – More than 4000 additional people were added to the official family doctor wait list in November, according to new numbers released by government.

“Just this month, more than 4000 people have called to say they don’t have a family doctor and still we have a Premier who refuses to admit that we are in a health care crisis,” said NDP Leader Gary Burrill.

In November 2016, when the registry was launched, there were 6,000 names on the list. Today there are more than 42,000. Late last month, the Auditor General reported that the 70 Collaborative Care Teams promised by the Liberal government would not be in place for six years, rather than the originally promised four.

“We know this official list is just the tip of the iceberg. Urgent investment is required to make sure everyone has access to primary health care,” said Burrill. “The Liberals need to start investing in people’s health rather than focusing on their budget surplus.”

The data released this month also includes a regional breakdown for the wait list, which was provided for the first time last month after a request from the NDP Caucus.

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