Municipal officials have stepped up physician recruitment efforts in the Antigonish area.
Officials with the Town of Antigonish, Antigonish Co., and the St. Martha’s Regional Hospital Foundation signed an agreement to fund a community navigator position Thursday.
After October’s regular municipal council meeting Tuesday night, Owen McCarron, Antigonish Co.’s warden, said each partner is providing $30,000 annually to the position.
“Funding for three years by both units and the foundation sends an important message to the community that health care really is important,” he said. “We want to be partners at that.”
McCarron said the navigator will work with the provincial recruiter.
He said they’ll help new physicians with anything they need when they arrive, including housing and schooling needs.
“They’ll be sort of the hands and feet on the ground to make sure any new recruits coming in just get familiar with our total community,” he said. “Whether it’s recreation, sports, whatever, that person becomes the go-to person for the new recruits coming in.”
McCarron said they hope to hire for the position before the end of fall.
Photo credit: Antigonish Co. FB page
