Edmundston nursing home dispute leaves empty beds in new facility

The New Brunswick Association of Nursing Homes (NBANH) hopes that a dispute that has prevented a new nursing home in Edmundston from opening will be cleared up this week.

Doctors say the Domaine des Batisseurs should be covered by two on-call doctors per week and 18 hours of rounds.

The Department of Health has said one doctor and 12 hours would be enough.

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The Nursing Home Association'sexecutive director, Michael Keating, says heisn't taking sides,but says for the sake of health care, something must be done.

"I'm not a medicalpractitioner, so it's hard for me to say," said Keating. "The only thing wecan say with a degree of certainty is that there are 180 potential residents of that nursing home that aren't being offered care in a state-of-the-art facility. It's troubling."

Keating sayshis association would be willing to assist in the negotiations in any way, in order to get the facility open.

When reachedfor comment, the Department of Health released a statement through spokespersonBruceMacfarlane

"Health Minister Victor Boudreau recently met with the nursing home administration and doctors to discuss the matter, said Macfarlane.

"Sessional hours in nursing homes are granted based on a provincial formula,and availability of one on-call physician at a time is covered for each nursing home. Presently, government funds physicians' clinical services for more than 60 nursing homes in the province and all need to be treated equitably."

Discussions are underway this week to resolve the matter.