Accountability Questioned in Nurse P. Departure

From the Prog. Conserv. site:

Lack of accountability cost Digby Neck essential health service
posted: Dec 11 2009
d'Entremont, Chris
HALIFAX – Progressive Conservative health critic Chris d'Entremont says the loss of a Digby Neck nurse practitioner to seek employment in Manitoba shows the minister has failed to live up to her promise of accountability.

News of Karen Snider's departure to Manitoba comes following a controversial decision by the South West Nova district health authority in October to dismiss her from her role as nurse practitioner at the Islands Health Centre, where she oversaw about 1,500 patients.

Many came to Snider's defense, lobbying for her reinstatement with a protest outside of the Legislature in the hope that Health Minister Maureen MacDonald would intervene and ask the DHA to rehire her, or at least request a public explanation for her dismissal.

The DHA has not stated why Snider was let go.

Today, d'Entremont said he cannot understand why the minister failed to step in and find out.

"I would like to know the minister's definition of accountability, because in this situation, inaction has led to the loss of someone who was, by many accounts, a very capable and qualified health care professional," said d'Entremont. "Most importantly, it has led to the loss of an essential health care service for residents of these communities."

In October, the minister's commitment to departmental accountability prompted new legislation around improving collaborations with provincial DHAs to address emergency room closures, and her declaration that, "The buck stops with the minister."

"I want to know what that statement means for the people of Digby Neck," said d'Entremont. "What is the minister's plan for replacing the nurse practicioner there, and why does she not appear to be accountable to this community in terms of providing answers?"



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