Staffing crisis disrupts NWT's health services

The Stanton Territorial Hospital operating room in Northwest Territories will be reduced to emergency services starting Monday as the province grapples with a shortage in healthcare workers.

"From July 18 to 22, Stanton Territorial Hospital’s operating room will be reduced to emergency services only," said Health and Social Services Minister Julie Green in a statement.

It follows a string of disruptions across other healthcare facilities, where last week, only emergency care was available Fort McPherson, Sachs Harbour, and Fort Providence.

Hay River Reserve, Fort Smith, Norman Wells, Tulita, Behchokǫ and Fort Resolution also saw reduced services. In Hay River, patient beds last week were also closed, while services were reduced at the Medical Clinic, and the emergency department was supported by a practitioner.

The disruption comes as the province struggles with a staffing crisis for healthcare workers - with Green warning that this could further go on.

"The health care field is highly competitive, and although the NWT offers a competitive wage and benefits package to its professionals, it is taking special targeted measures including additional incentives," said the minister. "However, we continue to see challenges in hiring, and as such, service disruptions will continue."

According to Green, attracting health practitioners has always been a "consistent challenge," with the pandemic and national shortage of health professionals driving the disruptions.

Burnout among former and current healthcare workers also didn't help the situation.

"Burnout caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, has led to the resignation, retirement, or reduced work hours of many health professionals across the country and in the NWT," said Green. "Many of these people made huge sacrifices to help keep us safe during the pandemic, and now they are tired."

The minister assured that a dedicated task force is already taking immediate actions to manage the staffing shortages. In the meantime, Green appealed to the public to be patient - amid a reported increase of aggressive behaviour towards health care staff.

"We understand there are many frustrations related to access, and we ask residents to please have consideration for the staff who are doing their best to meet the needs of you and all residents. Please remain patient as they are doing what they can to ensure you receive the highest quality health care possible," she said.

Early this month, the Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU), Canadian Nurses Association, and HealthCareCAN have already called on Canadian premiers to make the health care their top priority, citing burned out workers, surgical backlogs, limited care access, as well as closing emergency departments.

"Canada's health care system is in crisis. While the pandemic certainly struck a severe blow, our health care system has been reeling from a decades-long health care worker shortage that continues to grow unabated thanks to untenable working conditions," said CFNU president Linda Silas in a statement.

"The pandemic only added fuel to an already raging fire. The tired, ineffective, and makeshift solutions of the past no longer cut it; we need a bold and concerted effort to tackle the shortage, starting with evidence-based health human resources planning and stable funding."