MLAs clash over lack of medical specialists

A PC MLA and the provincial health minister disagreed on the severityof the health-care staffing shortage during an exchange in the P.E.I. legislature on Wednesday.

The Island will soon be down to one medical oncologist instead of the desired three, and one gastroenterologist.

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The vacancies of specialists on the Island was brought up by Stratford-Kinlock MLA James Aylward, who criticized Health and Wellness Minister Robert Hendersonabout the gaps.

Hendersoncountered that the number of specialist vacancies was only about nine.

"I think as the department and as minister, we'd like to see that number to zero,"Hendersonsaid. "And we continue to work very hard on recruiting and retaining these specialists here to provide good quality health-care services to Islanders."

Aylwardsaid that the number of vacancieswas morethan nine and that there were33 vacancies for allied health professionals such as psychologists, audiologistsandrespiratorytherapists.

Henderson mentioned a new oncologist will be starting next summer, a point raised byTom Dorran, executive director of medical affairs at Health PEI, in an interview Wednesday withCBC News.

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