March 22, 2000
(Health and Community Services)

Stabilizing human resources in the health system

Health and Community Services Minister, Roger Grimes, said today that government's goal is to have a stable workforce for the health sector in the future. Issues of recruiting and retaining physicians, nurses and allied health professionals, as well as social workers and other community services workers have been in the forefront in the past fiscal year. In Budget 2000, government has strategically set monies aside to assist in human resource areas where the largest benefits can accrue.

"To address the issues of work load, as well as national shortages in certain professions, government has set up a Health Human Resource Planning committee to develop a plan for each region of the province," said the minister. "The job of the committee is not an easy one. However, being that it is multi-dimensional, consisting of representatives of all health care professions, comprehensive deliberations will occur and solid recommendations will be forthcoming."

Some key investments in this area have already proven themselves. $600,000 is set aside in 2000-01 for incentive programs for graduating student nurses who commit to work in this province after graduation in 2000. It is expected that up to 100 nurses could begin work in this province as a result of the signing bonus initiative announced earlier this year.

Government will also spend $75,000 of a three-year $225,000 program to assist nursing students in gaining experience in rural areas of the province. Fifty students per year can avail of this program which encourages them to spend time outside our larger centres.

Also, $1.2 million is allotted for the hiring of Nurse Practitioner program graduates who have completed advanced training in their field, have an expanded scope of practice, and are capable of performing many diagnostic tests and procedures, among other duties.

$2.1 million is budgeted for to hire new salaried physicians. This is on top of approximately $8.5 million annualized funding provided in 1999-2000 for more than 50 salaried physicians. And, $1.9 million is being added to the $32 million physician services memorandum of understanding (MOU) this year because of increased numbers in fee-for-service physicians in the province.

Government will spend approximately $1 million this year on physician recruitment programs for general practitioners and specialists. While these programs have the potential to attract approximately 16 new physicians to our province this year, we can also expect additional physicians to practice in Newfoundland and Labrador who have not been associated with an incentive or bursary program. Approximately $500,000 will be spent in 2000-01 on seat purchase and bursary programs for Allied Health Professionals in occupational therapy, physiotherapy, audiology and speech pathology fields. Last year, 20 allied health professionals took up work in Newfoundland and Labrador.

In addition to this, government agreed in February to a classification review of the nursing occupation, including the licenced practical nurse classification, and the social worker classification. The purpose of the review is to ensure current classifications properly reflect the complexity of the work employees perform. This reflects the changing nature of many health care related professions which is evident by classification reviews already underway for such classes as physiotherapists, pharmacists and dieticians represented by the Association of Allied Health Professionals.

Media contact:

Karen McCarthy, Communications, (709)729-6670.

Carl Cooper, Communications, (709)729-1377.

2000 03 22