Funding for Healthcare Recruitment in Lawrencetown

The village commission of Lawrencetown, Annapolis County, has built a new, modern healthcare facility with donations and volunteer labour.

Now, it is getting financial support from the Province to attract doctors and nurse practitioners to work there. The commission is implementing a marketing plan that includes promotional videos highlighting what it is like to work and live in Lawrencetown, trade show booths and site visits.

“We have seen the residents of Lawrencetown pull together to create an ideal space to practise medicine and promote wellness,” said Michelle Thompson, Minister responsible for the Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment. “This village is rising to the challenge of recruiting healthcare professionals to their small but strong community, and we’re so pleased to help support that work.”

The funding is from the government’s new Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment Community Fund. In its first year, the fund supported 28 groups across the province.

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

Quotes:

“The Village of Lawrencetown is very appreciative of the support that we have received from our application to the OHPR Community Fund. The funding will significantly improve our online presence and our ability to support health professionals that show interest in our Annapolis Valley community. We look forward to working with the folks at the OHPR and our local Valley chamber of commerce’s physician community navigator.”

– Brian Reid, Chair, Village Commission of Lawrencetown

Quick Facts:

• the Lawrencetown village commission will receive $48,477
• organizations across the province could apply for up to $100,000 from the Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment 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:

Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment 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