Extreme heat and the fact that that Monday was a holiday didn’t keep dozens of people from taking part in a rally to show their concern over the temporary closure of the Aberdeen Walk-In Clinic.
The Aberdeen Walk-In Clinic has begun a suspension of operations that will continue until Sept. 17 while the doctors who own the clinic take some time to think about the future.
In July, Dr. Chris Elliott and Dr. Tom Park drafted a letter to the residents of Pictou County in which they explained the circumstances that have led to this temporary closure – including the fact that one of their regular doctors is leaving in August.
READ THE LETTER FROM DOCTORS ELLIOTT AND PARK
Another factor is the decision by the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness, Doctors Nova Scotia and MSI to exclude walk-in clinics from the enhanced fee model applied to other primary care provider office visits in the province. This has a negative impact on their recruitment efforts for the clinic, the doctors said.
Bill Muirhead, who is part of a group called Save Our Rural Health Care, organized Monday’s event and said he felt it was important to do because “Health care is failing. We’re not moving anything forward. We’re going backwards.”
He said the temporary closure at the Walk-In and the risk that it could be longer term creates complications at the Aberdeen Hospital Emergency Centre.
“It’s going to be longer waits, longer back-up. People are going to be frustrated so we need to do something,” Muirhead said.
Doctors Elliott and Park thanked those who came out to show their support.
“We hope that the powers that be – our elected representatives will see how important this walk-in clinic is to the people of our county,” Elliott said.
He said neither of them want to stop operating the clinic.
“We want it to be sustainable, but it is not sustainable in its current fashion and in the current way we’ve been running it.”
In an interview with The News, he said he is scheduled to meet with Health Minister Randy Delorey on Tuesday, Aug. 7 to discuss the situation.
MLA Pat Dunn said he’s heard from many people since the temporary closure of the Walk-In was announced and shares their frustration.
“They’re practically nickeling and diming them,” he said.
Interim Progressive Conservative Leader Karla MacFarlane assured the doctors “We have your back,” and told them they are indispensable to the community.
“I hope there will be a compromise,” she said. “There’s a transitioning happening in Nova Scotia with health care and perhaps at the end of the day it’s going to be good, but before we can get there there’s compromises that have to be made in order to ensure that everyone has services they need.”
Pictou East MLA and PC leadership candidate Tim Houston said he too is nervous about the situation.
“There’s a lot of anxiety about access to primary care and giving guys like this the run around doesn’t anything to alleviate that,” he said.
Little Harbour resident Charlie MacDonald was one of the dozens who came out to show his support for the Walk-In Clinic doctors. While he and his wife are fortunate to have a family doctor now he said “that could change quickly for anybody.”
He said he was surprised when he learned that the Walk-In Clinic doctors are paid less than the doctors who see patients in their office.
“If it closes it’ll be just a nightmare. It’s a nightmare now at the emergency department.”
