The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Susan Sullivan, Minister of Health and Community Services:

Provincial Government Committed to the Recruitment and
Retention of Health Care Professionals

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this Honourable House today to emphasize our government’s commitment toward the recruitment and retention of qualified health care professionals throughout the province.

Since taking office, the Provincial Government has established numerous programs and initiatives to improve recruitment of various health care professionals. These include student bursaries, grants, travelling fellowships, signing bonuses and seat purchases in health sciences programs offered outside of the province.

Mr. Speaker, the total current investment in recruitment-related programs and initiatives is $7.1 million annually. Many of these initiatives secure commitment to work in rural and remote areas of the province and there has been strong uptake of these programs. Our commitment to enhancing health care through the recruitment and retention of health care professionals in rural areas of the province has been demonstrated time and time again.

We invest $2.8 million annually in the medical/dental student and resident bursary program to ensure more of our graduates stay right here in Newfoundland and Labrador. Many of the students who accept bursaries practice in rural areas and all dental bursaries are for rural practice.

Mr. Speaker, our government has committed to increasing the province’s medical school seat complement to 84 seats by 2013, from the current 64. We are working to improve accommodations for medical students in rural areas of Newfoundland and Labrador. Students tell us that if they have a positive experience during their rural placement, they are more likely to return to practice in the area upon graduation.

There are now 12 nurse-specific recruitment and retention initiatives in place, made possible through an investment of more than $2.5 million annually. These initiatives include the Bachelor of Nursing Bursary Program, Rural Nursing Incentive Program, and the Nurse Practitioner Bursary Program.

Mr. Speaker, as a result of these efforts, the province currently has more doctors and nurses than it has ever had in its history. In 2011-12, practicing licences were issued for 1,096 physicians, 6,307 registered nurses and nurse practitioners and 2,685 licensed practical nurses.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

2012 05 24                              1:45 p.m.