South Shore: Liberals Call Hospital Crowding "Crisis"

The leader of the province's liberal party has deep concerns regarding the ongoing health crisis along the South Shore. Stephen McNeil was responding to the latest over-crowding issue in emergency departments in the region. Hospitals in Bridgewater, Lunenburg and Liverpool are operating at full capacity and currently have no hospital bed availability. South Shore Health is asking residents with non-urgent matters to visit local walk-in clinics or see their family health care provider until the issue clears. McNeil says the situation underlines the struggles and challenges within the current health care system. In a media release, he reiterated his party's plan to reduce the number of district health authorities in Nova Scotia from nine to one. The Liberals says they would re-invest the millions in cost savings into health services and infrastructure to help prevent against a similar crisis in the future.