Number of Nova Scotians on wait list for family doctor drops by 5.8%

The number of Nova Scotianson the wait list for a family doctor has dropped, marking only the second time in the last year the number has decreased.

Between Nov. 1 and Dec. 1, the number of people on the list dropped to 55,801 from 59,225a decrease of 3,424 peopleor 5.8 per cent, according to statistics released Wednesday by the Nova Scotia Health Authority.

The only other time in the last 12 months when the number dropped was between Dec. 1, 2017and Jan. 1, 2018, when it dipped to 41,877 from 42,198, which wasless than one per cent.

The biggest drop, both in percentage terms (10.6 per cent) and actual decrease (3,139), was in the central zone, which covers the Halifax Regional Municipality, Eastern Shore and West Hants.

Three of the four zones reported drops, with the exception being the northern zone, which covers Colchester, Cumberland and Pictoucounties. It saw a 4.3 per cent increase in the number of people on the list, or 312 people.

A total of 54,047 Nova Scotians have found family doctors since the health authority launchedthe family practice registry in November 2016, which allows people to add their nameto a provincial waiting list.