NS Budget Leaves Health Care System Treading Water

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Nova Scotia Budget Leaves Health Care System Treading Water

HALIFAX - Despite the announcement of changes to physician compensation earlier in the week, the 2018 Nova Scotia budget offers no funding for major improvements to a health care system in crisis says the Nova Scotia Health Coalition.

“10 months after an election where the ongoing crisis in health care was a defining issue and we get another budget that offers no significant measures to make sure that Nova Scotians have the health care they need,” said Nova Scotia Health Coalition spokesperson Chris Parsons.

The budget includes no major new programs or major expenditures that had not previously been announced and no significant increase in core core funding to critical areas like homecare and long-term care.

Continuing care, including home care and long-term care, saw an increase in budgeted funding of just 1.06%, which constitutes a decrease after inflation is taken into account.

“Patients and frontline workers know that the status quo isn’t good enough and that we need a re-investment in the system to make real improvements to end the crisis in health care. The system is at risk of drowning and this budget means it will continue to tread water. That’s not good enough,” Parsons said.

-30-

The Nova Scotia Health Coalition is a political but non-partisan coalition of individuals and organizations committed to defending, strengthening and extending public health care.

Media Inquiries:

Chris Parsons

Provincial Coordinator

Nova Scotia Health Coalition

(902) 880-8628 (cell)
 

Nova Scotia Health Coalition

2099 Gottingen Street, Suite 209

Halifax, NS B3K 3B2

(902) 406-9422

coordinator@nshealthcoalition.ca