GUYSBOROUGH – The number of vacant beds at Milford Haven Home in Guysborough has grown in recent months as a staffing shortage continues.
Last January, The Journal reported that staffing shortages had caused several beds to close at Milford Haven Home for Special Care in Guysborough. At that time, GEM Healthcare Group said in a statement that “several of our beds are currently vacant and we are not accepting additional residents until our staffing situation improves.”
In February, GEM Healthcare Group initiated an in-house training program and the provincial government invested approximately $65 million to increase the pay of continuing care assistants (CCAs).
But these measures, according to the most recent information available, have not filled the gap in staffing at Milford Haven, and the number of closed beds has increased.
Last week, The Journal asked GEM Healthcare Group for an update on the staffing situation and received the following email from Mahmood Hussain, Director of People Relations: “Like many other long-term care facilities across the province, Milford Haven is experiencing a staffing shortage. As a result, the facility is currently operating with a reduced number of beds in an effort to maintain necessary staff ratios to ensure our residents continue to receive the necessary attention and level of care. Thirteen beds are presently empty.
“Our recruitment efforts are ongoing and we recently launched an initiative to create our own in-house training to enhance the capabilities of existing staff while we recruit new employees,” Hussain wrote.
