“We must do better.”
That was the admission of Health Minister Tom Osborne in the House of Assembly Monday to questions related to mental health care in the province.
On the weekend, a Carbonear grandmother protested outside Carbonear General to call attention to a mental health system that has failed her struggling 15-year-old grandson.
Cathy Porter took to the hospital parking lot in frustration after failing to get her grandson the help and treatment he needs.
It followed a similar cry for help from a Glovertown family who went public after their son ran into serious trouble with the law after years struggling with his mental health.
Minister Osborne was responding to repeated questions from members on the Opposition side of the house including Terra Nova MHA Lloyd Parrott.
“There is no question, we must do better,” Osborne admitted. He says they are focused on increasing and improving capacity and “much much more work needs to be done.”