More Funding to Support Doctor Recruitment, Retention in Annapolis Valley

Two groups in the Annapolis Valley will get support to recruit doctors and other healthcare professionals and retain those who already live and work in their communities.

The Province is funding the Mid Valley Region Physician Recruitment and Retention Committee and the Annapolis Valley Chamber of Commerce for initiatives including digital physician recruitment toolkits, family physician appreciation programs, and programs that welcome physicians and their families to their communities.

“Building strong community ties between healthcare providers and their families is key to attracting and retaining doctors in the Annapolis Valley,” said Kings West MLA Chris Palmer, on behalf of Michelle Thompson, Minister responsible for the Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment. “The dedicated volunteers who are the heart of these organizations know better than anyone what makes the Annapolis Valley such a great place to live and work, and I thank them for their leadership.”

The funding is from the government’s new Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment (OHPR) Community Fund. A total of 28 groups across Nova Scotia applied by the December 19 deadline, and more successful applicants will be notified in the coming weeks.

The $2-million community fund is among the recruitment and retention initiatives outlined in Action for Health, the Province’s strategic plan to improve healthcare.

Quotes:

“Getting people to stay is critically important. We want them to feel really welcome and meld right into the community, and that’s what has been happening.”

– Kelly Hutton, Chair, Soldiers Memorial Hospital Foundation, which leads the Mid Valley Region Physician Recruitment and Retention Committee

“They want to know more about the community. They can practise absolutely anywhere, but it’s the community where they’ll live and raise their family, so we want to help them spend more time getting to know what we have available. We’re really excited to be able to broaden our services.”

– Breanna Sangster, physician community navigator, Annapolis Valley Chamber of Commerce

Quick Facts:

• the Mid Valley Region Physician Recruitment and Retention Committee will receive $73,765
• the Annapolis Valley Chamber of Commerce will receive $77,105
• organizations could apply for up to $100,000 from the OHPR Community Fund
• to be eligible, community organizations had to be a registered society, association, non-profit or charity; municipalities and chambers of commerce were also eligible
• two funding streams were available: community identified projects and community readiness supports; groups could request funding from one or both

Additional Resources:

OHPR Community Fund: https://beta.novascotia.ca/apply-funding-recruit-and-retain-healthcare-professionals-ohpr-community-fund

Action for Health: https://novascotia.ca/actionforhealth/

Mandate letter of the Minister of Health and Wellness and Minister responsible for the Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment: https://novascotia.ca/exec_council/letters-2021/ministerial-mandate-letter-2021-DHW.pdf