News release

More Funding to Support Healthcare Recruitment, Retention in Cumberland County

Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment
OHPR Community Fund
health workforce
Action for Health

Two municipalities and a community group in Cumberland County will receive provincial funding to help bring more healthcare professionals to their communities and support those already living and working there.

The Town of Amherst and the Municipality of Cumberland will work together on a promotional campaign to attract healthcare professionals. They also plan to hold events, such as staff recognition dinners, to welcome healthcare professionals and show how much they are valued.

The Pugwash Physician Recruitment/Appreciation Committee will use the funds to develop marketing materials to recruit healthcare professionals to their community, host appreciation events for healthcare workers already living in the Pugwash area and host an education/retreat day for doctors enrolled in Dalhousie University’s rural residency program.

“We have extremely dedicated volunteers and staff who work everyday to attract healthcare professionals to Cumberland County,” said Tory Rushton, Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables and MLA for Cumberland South, on behalf of Michelle Thompson, Minister responsible for the Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment. “The support from this fund will help them build on their important work and establish new programs to support the retention and recruitment of much-needed doctors and nurses to staff our hospitals and clinics in the county.”

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:

“This funding is very important to a rural community like ours, especially with a brand new hospital about to open. It gives us the opportunity to take some matters into our own hands and will help even out the playing field when competing with larger communities for healthcare professionals.”

– Bill Martin, Chair, Pugwash Physician Recruitment/Appreciation Committee

“The Municipality of Cumberland appreciates the support from the Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment. Our community works really hard to attract and retain nurses and physicians. This funding will go a long way to help us achieve our goal of more healthcare professionals for Cumberland County.”

– Murray Scott, Mayor, Municipality of Cumberland

“A lot of people in the Town of Amherst participate in healthcare recruitment and retention efforts. We couldn’t do this without the financial support received from the Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment Community Fund. It’s greatly appreciated.”

– David Kogon, Mayor, Town of Amherst

Quick Facts:

  • the Pugwash Physician Recruitment/Appreciation Committee will receive $25,943
  • the Municipality of Cumberland and Town of Amherst will each receive $75,000
  • 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