Leblanc: Conservative Health Plan won't fix health care

Halifax - Susan Leblanc, NDP Health and Wellness spokesperson, made the following statement regarding the Conservative health plan released today:

“Tim Houston released his overdue plan for health care today. Anyone who was still holding out hope that the Conservatives would keep their promise to fix health care will be very disappointed.

The plan is vague, lacks details and timelines, and has no money attached to it. The plan also fails to implement solutions people have been calling for.

I am very disappointed to see no mention of Physician Assistants or Midwives in the document. These are trained medical professionals who live here but aren’t allowed to practise here. They could help ease the pressure on doctors and hospitals. Other provinces already do this and we should too.

With more than 27,000 people on the wait list for surgery, and tens of thousands more waiting for consultations, the government only plans to do an additional 2500 surgeries this year beyond the normal capacity. That will not reduce the wait list adequately. People will still be waiting, often in pain, for care.

I expected better from a government that promised to fix health care.”

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