N.L. has added 40 doctors since April, but Labrador MHA says north coast needs help, too

Health Minister Tom Osborne says Newfoundland and Labrador has recruited "over 40" physicians and over 170 nurses comprisingregistered nurses, licensed practical nurses andnurse practitioners since April 1.

"Some are going into family practice, some are going into the family-care teams," Osborne said of the recruited physicians on Tuesday.

"With the physicians that we've had come in we've been able to fill areas such as Bonavista, Baie Verte, Carbonear, Clarenville, Fogo [and] Twillingate, for example, with permanent physicians."

Osborne said some of those recruits have already started work, while others will begin between now and December.

He promised that within the next six to eight weeksSt. Lawrence, Whitbourne, New-Wes-Valley,Baie Verteand Springdalefacilities will operate on at least aMonday-to-Friday schedule for the following 12 months.

On the nursing side,Debbie Molloy, Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services' vice-president of human resources, said the majority who were hired are from the province's own graduating classes. Others have been recruited from India as the province focuses on luring internationally trained nurses to fill vacancies.

Molloy said 18 job offers to Indian nurses have been accepted and there areanother 40 in the hopper. She said there arealso about 450 resumswaiting to be evaluated.

However, neither Osborne nor Molloy could give an answer as to how many health-care staff members left the system since April. Osborne said some have certainly left, but added there has been a "net gain."

Molloy said the vacancy rate for nurses remains about the same as it did four months ago.

"We've been using agency nursing, as you know, to help fill some of those gaps. We also do know that we are filling our permanent gaps," she said.

"So although the rate, when we look overall because it includes our casual workforce asan example, when you peel that onion back then we are starting to make some strides in our vacancy rate."

But the recruitment effort is far from over.

Osborne said in addition to the two recruitment offices set up in his department andNLHS, the province is bringing global recruitment firms on board to further extend its reach.

Labrador needs help, too: Evans

Meanwhile, the NDPMHAfor Torngat Mountains, Lela Evans, says the health-care situation in Nain is dire.

The health clinic was able to offer emergency services only from Thursday to Monday.

"I've been worried about the move to one provincial health authority. Removing the local Labrador-Grenfell Health authority from us created a lot of anxiety," Evans saidTuesday afternoon.

"On the north coast in northern Labrador, our health-care services are not adequate. We don't have good access to health care,and that's reflected in what we're seeing now in terms of the health concerns we're having, also access to health care and some of the illnesses we're having and some of the deaths."

Evans said residents of the area aren'tcomfortable with calling the clinic because of the uncertainty about booking an appointment. She said they also don't want to bother the nursing staff.

"A lot of these people really need to see a nurse and really need to see a doctor. It's important for us to be able to have access to the clinic," she said.

Evans wants to see incentives for recruiting more relief nurses to the north coast of Labrador sothe current permanent nursing staff can take vacation time, sick days and holidays.

"They don't deserve to be overworked and over-stressed," Evans said.

"You've got to treat the nurses proper. You've got to treat them with respect. You've got to make sure that they've got quality of life. If not, we're not going to have nurses in our clinics and we're going to see more shutdowns."

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