We have all heard the old adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” It would seem our provincial government has been under the illusion that this could be applied to our health care system. It’s not a very pragmatic way to run such a vital service, one that is imperative to our well-being and survival.
Take our long term care facilities for example. Just the fact that it took our Canadian Armed Forces to point out the neglect and inhumanities that our elders had to bear due to staff shortages, before the government even took stock of the problematic conditions they endured, is inexcusable. The residents should never have had to suffer the consequences of the flagrant mismanagement of people, time and resources that were so blatantly apparent.
Then there’s the closing of our local obstetrics department, forcing young mothers to drive an hour to a neighbouring city or province to give birth. In this day and age it is unfathomable to think that they might have to deal with potential complications by the roadside en route to a distant birthing centre.
Scaling back or shutting down services due to staff shortages. Emergency rooms filling beyond capacity. People risking death while waiting hours for an ambulance. This is a disastrous situation, and just the beginning if things don’t soon change.
Meanwhile, the wait time to find a family doctor keeps getting longer and the “orphaned patients” list gets more populous. For years we have seen an exodus of nurses from Quebec to Ontario because they were looking for equitable pay. Yet, the alarm bells apparently didn’t go off in parliament, at least not until recently, because here we sit today offering bonuses and incentives to try to get nurses back into our hospitals, thinking this band-aid solution is going to solve the problems that are not new by any means.
If you want employee retention you have to offer them something worthwhile in return, such as fair pay, treating them well, and being sympathetic to the fact that they are not robots there solely to produce. We must be cognizant that they cannot be pushed to their limits time and time again without expecting them to break; they are humans requiring a humane approach.
The system is now broken – some might say on life support – and in need of serious restructuring, reorganizing and “fixing.”
Healthcare workers give so much of themselves, it’s time our government gives a little back in assistance, understanding and in meeting their needs so they can provide optimal service. It’s time to put a little more care back in our healthcare system.
On a different note
Twenty-one months on this roller-coaster ride of a world-wide pandemic with still no end in sight is not a subject I enjoy addressing at the end of 2021. Instead I would like to address something that has been very apparent to me in just a few months since I’ve returned to work here at THE EQUITY.
When I witness the selfless efforts of people organizing fundraisers, whether it be to help a family in need, a service club raising funds to purchase equipment to better serve the public, or people pooling their resources to raise money for a cause; I am reminded that we all have the potential to do good and be generous people who don’t wait for things to fall in their laps, but rather, who go out there and make things happen.
When I speak to someone on the telephone or interview someone in person and see a spark in their eyes, or hear the excitement in their voices, whether it be an entrepreneur on a new venture, people talking about something they truly believe in, or a person who does something they are passionate about; I am witnessing a little bit of magic that is almost palpable, it’s electric and it’s infectious.
The things we’re unhappy about or complain about on a daily basis are small in comparison to the potential and greatness that is ours for the taking. I believe that’s where we all need to go to grab a hold of the courage we all need to get us through to the other side of this pandemic.
We must not forget how to dream, how to set goals, no matter how lofty or impossible they may seem. We must check stagnation at the door and take a proactive stance for ourselves so we can achieve greater things, and I know if we all band together and do what needs to be done, we can come out of the next year with a much more positive outlook at what lies ahead.
Carole St-Aubin
