Health minister surprised by surgery transfers

Emergency surgeries to be deferred from PCH to QEH from Friday to Tuesday

Health Minister Ernie Hudson has admitted he was unaware of plans to transfer emergency surgeries from the Prince County Hospital to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital over the next four days.

Hudson was asked during Friday’s question period about an internal memo obtained by the Liberal third party, which stated all major trauma surgeries would be transferred to Charlottetown’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital between Friday and Tuesday. The memo was sent Thursday evening.

Two of three surgeons at Prince County Hospital are due to leave by June. One has resigned, while another is a locum whose contract is expiring. The other surgeon is not currently working and is on administrative leave, Health P.E.I. officials confirmed Friday.

As a result, it is unclear if there will be any surgery coverage at the PCH as of July 1.

“In the past two years, I don’t think I’ve had as many calls from – and not just my constituents – constituents across the province on our health-care system,” MacDonald said.

“If someone from Miminegash, for example, is experiencing severe pain that requires emergency surgery, will they have to go to Charlottetown this weekend?”

Hudson, who has faced questions about the PCH departures for most of the week, said this was not information he had been provided.

“I have not been provided, as minister, I’ll be honest at this point in time, with what seems to be coming from the Third Party,” Hudson said.

The memo says the deferrals to the QEH were “due to a local shortage of General Surgeons.”

On Tuesday, Hudson had said surgeries would be covered at PCH until the end of June. He also said shortages would be covered at the Summerside hospital by surgeons from Charlottetown.

In an interview after question period, Hudson said the deferrals were caused by a “personnel issue” that came up suddenly.

"Up until actually yesterday, surgeries over this weekend were covered," Hudson said.

Hudson also said he could not provide a reason as to why a surgeon from Charlottetown could not cover shifts in Summerside as it was a “human resource and scheduling matter.”

Hudson said he had asked staff how the Liberals obtained the memo before he had seen it. He also said an offer letter has gone out to one new surgeon for the PCH.

“I kind of, to some extent, feel sorry for the minister,” MacDonald said in an interview.

"The public has to be aware of these things. If someone is going to the hospital this weekend with a gall bladder issue, that needs emergency surgery, time is of the essence."

Hudson has been on the floor of the legislature for much of the week in estimates related to the Department of Health and Wellness and Health P.E.I. Estimates allow members of the Opposition to ask detailed questions about government programs and services in a public forum.

But Hudson has frequently been unable to provide answers to questions on matters such as the status of mobile mental health units, a review of long-term and seniors care, addiction services and other health-care related matters.

Frequently, Hudson has promised to bring back information about these questions and table them in the legislature. No documents have been tabled by Hudson for over a week.

By contrast, other ministers, such as Natalie Jameson in education and Brad Trivers in social development and housing, have tabled documents in the legislature after being asked questions in estimates.

In an interview, Hudson promised to provide these answers but did not say when. He said he was new in his role as health minister.

"Does it take a while to get up to speed on things? Absolutely it does," Hudson said.

“At the end of the day as soon as it is available, yes it will be brought back and it will be tabled."