News Release Archive
HEALTH--PHYSICIAN RECRUITMENT TAKES ANOTHER STEP FORWARD
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Another important step has been taken to encourage physicians
to set up practices in Nova Scotia.
The committee conducting a province-wide review of communities
has designated 17 areas as immediately eligible for incentive
packages to attract physicians.
"Attracting physicians to rural and remote communities is a
priority," said Health Minister Ron Stewart. "These communities
now have the tools to attract physicians, and to keep them.
Bringing quality health care to communities across the province
is health reform in action."
The list of communities was drawn up by the joint management
committee, the Department of Health - Medical Society of Nova
Scotia committee overseeing the physicians agreement signed in
March 1995.
Specific guidelines were followed to determine which
communities were the most seriously under-serviced. The committee
considered the area's history of recruitment, the medical needs
of the population and the number of physicians already working
there as part of the selection process.
"Our expectation is that the incentive package will attract
physicians interested in a rural practice lifestyle," said Dr.
LeRoy Heffernan, president of the Medical Society of Nova
Scotia. "The package provides much needed assistance to physicians
currently practising in such communities. These physicians have
faced extremely long working hours, little free time and
limited opportunities for continuing education because of a
shortage of colleagues."
The communities selected for the incentive package are:
Arichat, Bass River, Caledonia, Canso, Freeport, Inverness area,
Kennetcook/Noel Shore, L'Ardoise, Little Brook, Meteghan,
Middle Musquodoboit, Oxford, Pubnico, Stewiacke, St. Peter's, Tusket
and Weymouth.
The groundbreaking agreement reached in March between the
department and the medical society established the framework
for the incentive package available to physicians interested in
practising in rural and remote areas.
Recruiting physicians to communities across Nova Scotia is an
ongoing process.
All areas of the province are being studied by the new
physician recruiter, hired jointly by the department of health and the
society. Since his appointment Sept. 1, Frank Peters has been
examining the situation in a number of Nova Scotia communities.
Mr. Peters has been fielding phone calls from physicians across
Canada and the United States, and from England, Ireland,
France, Italy, South Africa and Saudi Arabia who are interested in
finding out more about practising in the province.
In addition, recent figures from the department show 15 family
doctors and three specialists set up practices in small town
and rural Nova Scotia during the summer months. Communities
attracting permanent family doctors include: Sydney Mines,
Reserve, New Waterford, Glace Bay, Shubenacadie, Port Williams,
Enfield, Elmsdale, Wolfville, Musquodoboit, Tantallon, Bass
River and Antigonish.
The management committee will examine the number of physicians
in communities across the province to check on the health care
needs of all Nova Scotians.
"Good care from a family doctor is a basic key to good health,"
Dr. Stewart said. "I am optimistic family physicians will
decide Nova Scotia is a good place to practise rural medicine."
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Contact: Lori MacLean 902-424-5025
Donna Christopher 902-468-1866
EDITORS NOTE: A brief backgrounder is available.
Contact: 902-424-4492
trp Oct. 17, 1995
