NDP Leader Claudia Chender speaks to reporters at government house, with several NDP MLAs standing behind her. (Jacob Moore/Acadia Broadcasting)

Nova Scotia’s NDP is calling for immediate action at the Cobequid Community Health Centre following what staff described as an unprecedented emergency room crisis earlier this month.

Sackville-Cobequid MLA Paul Wozney says he contacted Health Minister Michelle Thompson two weeks ago after a Cobequid ER doctor phoned him during their shift, reporting the “worst day on record” at the facility.

According to the NDP, the emergency department was overwhelmed with overcrowding, and several patients — including one who had suffered a stroke — were turned away due to capacity issues.

The party says they have received no response from the Health Minister.

NDP Leader Claudia Chender said staff shouldn’t be forced into situations where patients are refused care, adding that the ongoing strain at the centre contradicts repeated government commitments to improve services in Sackville.

She pointed to long-standing provincial promises to expand the health centre, increase capacity, and eventually offer 24-hour emergency coverage — commitments the NDP says haven’t moved forward.

Wozney said health-care workers at Cobequid are “scared for their patients” and are being pushed beyond their limits. He said families in the area expect to be able to rely on their local emergency department, and the situation is undermining public confidence.

NDP Health Critic Rod Wilson added that long wait times and crowded emergency rooms are a province-wide issue, saying communities like Sackville feel left behind as pressures grow for both staff and patients.

Cobequid has been the focus of debate before. During budget estimates in March 2023, the province said it planned to expand the centre with in-patient beds and move toward 24-hour ER service.

The Progressive Conservatives also campaigned on upgrades in the last two provincial elections.