Congratulations to Professor De Leeuw regarding her eight years of guaranteed funding to research the role of arts and humanities in northern healthcare. A great feel good story for page one of Friday’s newspaper.

Now turn to page 3 and check out the disturbing article describing the “struggles” to meet patient needs in the emergency room of our own UHNBC.

I suggest that the first avenue of research for the team should be in the hospital corridors, and all the other nooks and crannies where patients are forced to be housed at UHNBC while they wait for hours to interact with a health professional.

A meaningful cultural dialogue would surely relieve the boredom and frustration of the wait, and may, in some ways provide positive health benefits. No doubt, the harried staff would also benefit from professional and cultural discourse as they go about their business. That is, if you can find a health professional who has a few minutes to spare between the endless crises that are their working conditions.

Maybe then Northern Health’s spokeswoman Eryn Collins’ ludicrous comment that “patient care isn’t being compromised”, could have some validity. The toxic conditions for both vulnerable patients and overworked staff must not be whitewashed.

Josephine Kerrigan

Prince George