Despite the work undertaken to address them, the shortcomings in Nova Scotia’s health care system are affecting the RCMP.
Inverness County District RCMP Staff Sergeant David Morin told the regular monthly meeting of Port Hawkesbury Town Council on March 7 that in 2022, they responded to 11 calls under the 911 Act, compared to none the previous year.
Morin explained that is due to the RCMP assisting Emergency Health Services on calls, to the extent that police officers have had to take people to the hospital when no ambulance was available.
In response to Town Councillor Jason Aucoin noting that well being checks have “taken a big jump” from 79 in 2022, to 45 in 2021, Morin confirmed that officers have been responding to more mental health calls, pointing out that in 2022 there were 76 such reports, and in 2021, that number was 67.
This comes as the Port Hawkesbury detachment is trying to fill three vacant positions, noted Morin.
Despite those challenges, Town Councillors Mark MacIver and Blaine MacQuarrie said they’ve observed a noticeable police presence around the town.
This news comes as the provincial government announced funding for programs targeting youth at risk, adults with autism spectrum disorder, seniors, and others.
In a press release issued earlier this month, the province said more than $7.1 million in one-time grants will be distributed to community groups providing mental health programs such as mentorship, peer support, art, and many others. The programs range from promoting mental wellness to addressing specific mental health concerns, they said.
Among the organizations receiving funding is Arts Health Antigonish Society which was approved for $47,000.
The health and wellness authority created to lead health transformation for Mi’kmaw communities, Tajikeimik, will receive $79,700.
The province said the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia will receive $3 million to administer grants for mental health and addictions projects, and services across the province.
Noting that demand for mental health support is great, Starr Cunningham, President and CEO, Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia said the funding will have “a very direct impact in our communities at a grassroots level.”
Around this same time, the provincial government said more than 1,000 Nova Scotians were involved in a series of community health care conversations that took place locally late last year.
According to a press release issued earlier this month, the province said it recently wrapped up “one of the largest public health care tours in the province’s history,” which included sessions in Antigonish, Port Hawkesbury, and Inverness.
The tour included 20 sessions, covering more than 5,300 kilometres from Yarmouth to Glace Bay, Liverpool, to Springhill, beginning in October, the province noted.
Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson, along with Deputy Minister Jeannine Lagassé and Nova Scotia Health CEO Karen Oldfield, headed the meetings.
The province said staff working in primary care, public health, continuing care, addictions and mental health, and emergency care were at each community conversation to provide information and speak with participants.
Noting that it’s sometimes difficult to get information out to all communities, Thompson told The Reporter it was important for the government to visit, provide localized information, and “hear directly from communities.”
Thompson, who is also Antigonish MLA, said the format worked well discussing issues like licencing requirements for professionals, incentives for recruitment, and how workers are retained. The sessions also provided a forum for local leadership to update the public on what they’re doing, she said.
One issue that stuck out for Thompson was around licencing, and that is something her government is working on, pointing to a recent announcement by the Nova Scotia College of Physicians and Surgeons that they will accept credentials from physicians in the United States. She said those in attendance wanted to understand why health care providers in other jurisdictions can’t practice in Nova Scotia.
Noting that the province has a real focus on rural communities, she said some people asked about the recruitment and retention of health care professionals, particularly around bonuses and incentives.
Another talking point was the fact that health care has changed from years ago, creating the need for a team approach, said Thompson. Based on what they heard, she said people are accepting of the changing roles of pharmacists, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, and physicians.
Thompson said the consultations provided an opportunity to look at urgent treatment centre models and the current state of emergency departments.
The public sessions were also an opportunity to show communities that transport operators and using registered nurses to assist physicians have helped fill the gaps, according to Thompson.
The minister said having one referral point for physicians to refer people for surgeries, as opposed to many doctors trying to find specialists or surgeons, will help reduce wait times.
While the province has made progress, Thompson said there remains work to do in decreasing wait times for surgery, reasoning that a “number of things that have to happen,” like a central registry, recruiting surgeons and specialized OR nurses, improving licencing, recruiting more physicians, and improving immigration streams to support health care workers.
Some good things have taken place in the health care system, but there is a long way to go. For proof, look at the fact that local RCMP officers are responding to more wellbeing checks, health related reports, and 911 calls, even having to drive patients to the hospital because no ambulances were available.
The problems in the health care sector are now bleeding into other areas and stretching already thin police resources.
Hopefully, this spread will be reduced so that more sectors of society, which are dealing with problems of their own, do not have to fill gaps in the health care system.