New Office Sees Early Success

The newly created Office of Health Care Professionals Recruitment is seeing some early successes and promising leads.

Two anesthetists and a psychiatrist have signed job offers to practice in Cape Breton, and two family doctors practising in Halifax have worked with the office to address concerns and will now stay in Nova Scotia. Several other physicians are also consulting with the office to come to, or stay in, the province.

“The biggest issue in health care is access. We need to recruit and retain more physicians, nurses, paramedics, continuing care assistants and other professionals,” said Premier Tim Houston. “This new office brings the dedicated focus we need to find simple solutions to address common problems, and we are already making headway.”

The new office is focused on attracting and keeping health-care professionals. It will also work to eliminate barriers to recruitment and retention.

A planned pilot project aims to make the continuing care assistant profession more attractive by offering on-site child care at a nursing home in Sydney. Continuing care assistants report they have difficulty finding child care in keeping with their shifts.

The stand-alone Office of Health Care Professionals Recruitment reports directly to the Minister of Health and Wellness.

Quotes:

“We need to make Nova Scotia a welcoming place for health-care professionals by removing barriers and streamlining the system to bring and keep them here. Nova Scotia has a lot to offer health-care professionals who are looking for rewarding opportunities.”

– Dr. Kevin Orrell, deputy minister and CEO, Office of Health Care Professionals Recruitment