Statement from Dave Wilson on Liberal record on doctors

McNeil has failed on health file

STATEMENT FROM DAVE WILSON ON LIBERAL RECORD ON DOCTORS

SACKVILLE – Dave Wilson, NDP candidate for Sackville Cobequid made the following statement:

Today’s Liberal announcement to “continue the progress” is a dire warning to Nova Scotians.

In 2013, Stephen McNeil promised a doctor for every Nova Scotian in their first year at a cost of $3 million. Instead, the number of people without a family doctor has swelled to more than 100,000 over the last 3 and half years.

Nova Scotia needs 100 new doctors a year. Stephen McNeil promises 50 new doctors. Doctors see a crisis and the McNeil Liberals will make it worse.

Stephen McNeil announced no targets to reduce and eliminate the number of people without a family doctor.

The Liberals failed to spend half of the capital budget they promised to health care providers and patients. Stephen McNeil announced more capital budgets with a 50-50 chance of it actually happening.

Nova Scotia doctors are the lowest paid in Canada, Stephen McNeil refuses to freely bargain with nurses, yet he relies on them for the promises he is making.

Stephen McNeil’s mishandling of the health file is not limited to doctors.

The plan to develop collaborative emergency centres (CECs) was well underway when Stephen McNeil took office. However, since 2013, he has not opened a single CEC. Now, on the campaign trail, he is trumpeting the opening of a CEC in New Waterford, which has been approved since 2012.

Maybe those are the reasons why today’s Liberal announcement doesn’t set health care goals or targets, recycling ideas that the Liberals have failed to deliver during their entire term in office.

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