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Lack of neurology services in NWT ‘unacceptable,’ resident says

By: Simona Rosenfield, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Neurology services at Yellowknife’s hospital closed in April. One NWT resident with a neurological condition says their medical care is “unacceptable.”

Jesse, a patient who asked to have their name changed in order to speak freely, has been waiting nearly two years to see a neurologist after being diagnosed with a neurological condition. They said they are receiving sub-standard care.

After neurological services at Stanton Territorial Hospital ended in April – the only such services being offered in the NWT – Jesse said they received a call from a doctor at the hospital informing them that they had been removed from the waitlist and would no longer get to see a neurologist.

“I felt like I was having the door shut on me,” Jesse said.

“I just genuinely, as a patient, want to know what is going to happen and when I’ll be able to see a neurologist because, in my opinion, this just isn’t acceptable.”

Jesse said they were told their condition was not serious enough to receive neurology services while other patients needed priority care. Jesse said they were not given a referral, resources, or information, which left them feeling there was no plan for their healthcare.

“If [the neurology services] hadn’t closed and there was no referral issue, I would still be on the waitlist. So, because you are having issues in setting this up, I no longer get to see a neurologist?” Jesse questioned.

“How can you take that opportunity away from me?”

Jesse said their symptoms have since advanced, leaving them managing frequent headaches and other daily symptoms with a general practitioner.

“On any given day, and I know for me I’ve been feeling it more lately, I can wake up just feeling like my head is going to explode,” Jesse said. “It’s something that I feel like I have almost no control over.”

Worse than the pain itself is the concern that pain could advance without proper treatment from a neurologist, Jesse said, adding they’re afraid of the impact on their long-term health and wellbeing.

A contract between Stanton Territorial Hospital and the Alberta Neurologic Centre was unexpectedly cancelled in April, ending visits from neurologists to the territory, according to NWT health authority spokesperson Krystal Pidborochynski.

She said the health authority has since been working to find locum neurology supports and has met with Alberta Health Services to discuss patient access to neurology services in Alberta.

“At the current time, urgent cases can be referred to Alberta,” Pidborochynski told Cabin Radio in a statement.

David Maguire, another spokesperson with the health authority, said patients were not informed of the change in neurology services in the NWT as the territory is continuing to provide locum-based neurology services through its Internal Medicine Program. 

Approximately 1,000 patients were referred to or are being followed by locum neurology services, Maguire said.

“Patients experiencing any health concerns are encouraged to contact their primary care provider for any non-emergency concerns. This is also true if someone has a change in symptoms or medical condition,” Maguire said in a statement, adding there has been no change in service for urgent and emergency neurology care.

For Jesse, the experience accessing neurological services has left them feeling helpless, hopeless, neglected, frightened, and frustrated. They said they’re not alone in these challenges.

“I’ve spoken with a couple of people and I think they’re equally as frustrated,” Jesse said.

“Everyone’s kind-of on their own journey, whether it’s themselves as a patient or a loved one.”

Jesse said they’ve been left without any direction when it comes to the future of their care. They worry their life in the North is unsustainable long-term.

“If I lived down south somewhere in Canada, I would’ve seen a neurologist by now,” Jesse said.

“We are taxpaying Canadian citizens like everybody else in the country. Why does the care that we get, get to be less than what somebody else in the country gets? That to me is inexcusable.”

This concern has been growing for Jesse, who said the NWT government needs to take a serious look at how they deliver healthcare services to keep residents in the North.

“I think we’re going to lose a lot of really great [residents] and I think the situation is just going to continue to get more dire unless they find ways to deal with issues like this,” Jesse said.

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