Summerside gets commitment from province to address hospital staffing

P.E.I. is committed to continuing general surgery at the Prince County Hospital, Premier Dennis King told politicians and members of the business community at an event in Summerside on Tuesday.

There have been questions about surgery services there since it was revealed that two surgeons are leaving the hospital in June.

Summerside Mayor Basil Stewart, who invited King to speak at the luncheon, said he was happy the premier addressed the issue of the departing surgeons and the nursing shortage.

"It's going to take some time to get everything in place, but we have the commitment from the premier and from the government and that's what we wanted and that's what the people want," Stewart said.

"They know that our community will work strongly together and will accept nothing less than an improvement in their and our department. And we've got that commitment from them."

King said the province has applicants and is planning to fill the two vacant surgery positionsby early summer.

Also at the event, Arsenault Brothers Construction announced a $250,000 donation to the Prince County Hospital.

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