Northern doctors in the Northwest Territories are sounding the alarm, warning that the emergency room at Stanton Territorial Hospital in Yellowknife could face closures this summer if immediate action is not taken by the territorial government.
During a meeting with MLAs on the standing committee on social development, Dr. Courtney Howard, an emergency room physician in Yellowknife, emphasized the urgent need for increased pay for locum doctors to ensure adequate staffing in the emergency room. Dr. Howard expressed concerns that without intervention, nearly half of the upcoming ER shifts at the hospital could remain unfilled due to severe staff shortages.
Dr. Howard highlighted the challenge of attracting locum doctors to the N.W.T., pointing out that the territory’s current pay rates are no longer competitive compared to the rest of Canada. She stressed that many locum doctors are earning less in the N.W.T. than they would in their home provinces, making recruitment and retention even more difficult.
Another physician, Dr. Danielle Stachiw, echoed the critical situation, describing “critical shortages” in emergency room coverage at Stanton Territorial Hospital. Dr. Stachiw emphasized the importance of maintaining the operation of the emergency room, underscoring the essential role it plays in the overall health system of the Northwest Territories.
The doctors’ urgent call for action comes in the wake of previous challenges faced by the hospital, such as the temporary closure of the obstetrics unit in 2021 due to staffing shortages. They emphasized that any closure of the emergency room would have disastrous consequences for the territory and urged immediate changes to locum contracts to address the looming crisis.
Following the doctors’ presentation, Premier R.J. Simpson discussed the ongoing work of the health-care system sustainability unit, which is conducting a comprehensive review of government health programs and services. While the unit’s focus is primarily on long-term planning, officials acknowledged the need to address immediate issues within the health-care system to ensure continued access to essential services.