CUPE Nova Scotia, the union representing long term care workers and acute care workers across the province, says the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) needs to address the “cause” of the overcrowding in Nova Scotia’s hospitals, not the “symptoms”. “Last week, the NSHA tried to force long term care facilities to solve the problem of overcrowding in hospitals. In doing so, they failed to acknowledge that overcrowding and slow transition of patients from hospitals back to long term care are symptoms of a larger problem,” says CUPE Nova President Nan McFadgen. “Acute care is overburdened because long term care in Nova Scotia is under-resourced,” says Louise Riley, chairperson of CUPE NS’s long term care coordinating committee. “The McNeil government must treat the cause of the problem. We need more staff and more beds in long term care facilities. Full stop.” “We know that about 20 per cent of acute care … Read more…