MHA for the District of Grand Bank, Judy Foote, says given the series of problems that have arisen in the health care sector in recent months, the current minister of Health and Community Services should step aside to enable new leadership to help remedy a battered health care system.   

The Department of Health and Community Services has been under a cloud of controversy as a series of revelations have shaken the public=s trust in the province=s  health care system.   Ross Wiseman has served as either the parliamentary secretary or the Minister of Health since 2003.      

"This minister has been  the one consistent person in this health care controversy. If the premier doesn=t see fit to move him, then the minister should do the honourable thing and move aside during this critical time so that the process of restoring trust in the health care system can move forward with confidence," says Foote.  "His leadership ability is very much under question and his continued  presence will only compound what  already has been a challenging process."

 

Foote points out that the health care controversy under the minister=s leadership involves not just the mishandling of information, but the failure of the minister to be morally responsible to the public instead of being protective of litigation concerns.  

 "The minister has not only been unaccountable to the public, but has revealed on several occasions that he has not been on top of files including still not knowing there are women who have not been contacted about their breast hormone test results.  He also appears not to be up to date on whether residents on the Burin Peninsula affected by the radiology review have been advised of the outcome of retesting.  Remember, as well, under this minister=s  tenure, a public inquiry has had to be called which is an unusual undertaking and underscores just how serious this matter is. All of this adds to the uncertainty that exists today not just among those directly affected but the entire province. 

"What has been revealed also by our medical professionals is that a shortage of professional staff has been identified as one of the  weaknesses in the system that may have contributed to the errors we are witnessing at this time.   It makes one question whether the minister recognized the problem and made a strong enough case to cabinet for the needed resources in terms of funding, personnel and training that should have been directed into the health care system to prevent this widening crisis. Instead, as one example, we learn that money that could have been directed towards badly needed equipment was used for a sprinkler system.@