The MLA for Cape Breton-Richmond says she’s doing whatever she can to make sure Strait Richmond Hospital gets an upgraded palliative care unit.
Alana Paon says the current set up at the Evanston hospital only has room for palliative care if there is no one else in need of the beds.
She says there has been improvement to have end-of-life services done at home, but not everyone has that option.
Paon tells The Hawk it’s not a lot to ask of officials with the provincial government to have the services in place.
“Within our own community, we have this wonderful hospital, the Strait Richmond Hospital,” she says. “I don’t think we’re asking for the moon in being able to properly resource it.”
The director of issues management for the Nova Scotia Health Authority, says they’ve been reviewing end-of-life services in their entire eastern zone.
Greg Boone says the Strait Richmond Hospital, which falls into that zone, has great staff members who are doing a great job with what they have.
Boone says they’ve been trying to alleviate some of the problems.
“We’re evaluating our palliative care cases every day- that includes the Strait Richmond Hospital, and Strait Area patients requiring palliative care services,” he says. “That helps us determine where we can direct our additional nursing resources.”
Boone says they’re also working on providing additional physician support.
He says he hopes the renovation project at the hospital helps with the issues.