In those communities without a hospital, access to a healthcare professional is restricted to office hours unless it is an emergency. If you have a medical problem you go to the clinic and wait to see the nurse. If you have not been seen by closing time you are asked to go home and come in tomorrow. The next day the same process could repeat itself.

The wait to see the nurses is also complicated by the number of programs, such as Well Baby and prenatal clinics that are run during regular clinic hours. While the nurses run these important programs, no one is seen in the clinic, which further compounds any patient backlog.

One Member had asked his health authority whether the clinic could be open in the evening. He stated that discussions with the staff of the nursing station had indicated that there were no objections to such a system. The health authority would not consider opening in the evening, citing union agreements prevented them from implementing such a schedule.

Members realize that it is not practical to staff nursing stations and health centres on a 24-hour basis. However, evening clinic hours should be considered to improve access to the healthcare system in the smaller communities. If it is true that union agreements do not allow such arrangements, this should be discussed during the current contract negotiations.