Communities can play important role in attracting, retaining health care providers

Doctor from Virginia plans to start practicing in Cape Breton this spring

This week, I, along with my colleague Gordon Wilson, Clare Digby MLA, had the opportunity to take part in a health forum held in Yarmouth. During the two-hour session we heard from people from southwestern Nova Scotia about their thoughts on rural health care. It was an interesting mix of health care providers, municipal leaders, health care advocates and residents.

The topic was looking at whether every community needs every health care service. There were differing views shared, but most agreed having access to the services was most important. People travel now for appointments and services, some because they have to, others by choice, perhaps to shorten their wait for an appointment or surgery.

Another common theme was how communities can play an important role in supporting efforts to attract and retain health care providers, and offering a warm, positive environment for those professionals to live and work. Clare was highlighted for the immense feeling of pride community members have in its health centre. Six family doctors and a nurse practitioner work with support staff to serve patients in the area, also offering an on-call service.

We know of other examples of how communities are doing what they can to improve health care. Just down the road in Digby, Wilson is part of an active stakeholder group made up of municipal leaders, health care providers, foundation members and representatives from the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) who work together to attract health care providers and make them feel welcome and part of the community when they arrive.

We’ve seen a business community in Sydney pay for the production of a recruitment video, showcasing all the island has to offer for work and family life. Shelburne has shown how working with the municipality, province and NSHA can prove fruitful, attracting new doctors and health care providers, and helping support the construction of a new community health centre that’s on track to be finished this fall. We can’t underestimate the power these efforts have on local recruitment as well as retention. Thank you to those who have taken a positive and proactive approach in their communities.

During the last few weeks hundreds of Nova Scotians have engaged online and in person during the three health forums in Sydney, Halifax and Yarmouth. Health care is important to all of us. Government has acknowledged the challenges and is working with the NSHA and health care partners to improve access through expanding and strengthening collaborative care teams across the province; increasing residency spaces to ensure more doctors are graduating from medical school each year and finding innovative ways to help attract health professionals to Nova Scotia.

Just this month Nova Scotia Immigration launched a new Physician Stream which will make it easier and faster for internationally trained doctors and specialists to work in our province. The program already has its first recruit – a doctor from Virginia who plans to start practicing in Cape Breton this spring.

“We’ve seen a business community in Sydney pay for the production of a recruitment video, showcasing all the island has to offer for work and family life.”

We acknowledge the challenges in our health care system and are committed to continue our work to improve. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and ideas with us. We hope Nova Scotians will continue to engage in community conversations the NSHA is holding across the province on collaborative care.

For more information on how you can participate visit: https:// www.engage4health.ca/cfpt-community-conversations