Despite long wait lists for patients, a speech pathologist who cannot get a job says the province simply is not hiring professionals in her field.

Molly Clarke says a lot of parents have reached out to her with similar stories of waiting a couple of years to get to see a speech pathologist.

PC Health Critic Barry Petten calls the situation bizarre, saying the caucus has been inundated with calls from parents of children with autism and ADHD.

Petten says parents feel insulted when government tells them that services and assistance are available.

Clarke says many of the kids who fall through the cracks end up with language disorders and not doing very well later in life.

She says NL has a surplus of professionals willing to help, but the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is refusing to give them jobs to provide those public services.

Petten says a PC government would “leave no child behind.”