At a time when thousands of Nova Scotians are still struggling to access healthcare, The Nova Scotia Liberal Party is urging the Houston Government to recruit retired doctors to ease the healthcare burden.
They are also calling for the creation of a program that will attract retired doctors back into the workforce.
The Province of Newfoundland started a program that encouraged retired doctors to return to the workforce by covering licensing and insurance costs in exchange for a commitment to work.
Newly retired Doctor George Burden is in line with the Liberal Parties demands. “Older doctors are in the unenviable position of working harder and harder for less and less, driving many of them to retire when they still have years of service left.” stated Dr. Burden. “The government should incentivize older doctors to transition from practice gradually to ensure Nova Scotians aren’t left without access to primary care.”
Last year, The Office of the Physican Recruitment and Retention said nearly 200 family doctors were over the age of 65, hundreds of thousands of Nova Scotians could be added to the doctor waitlist in the coming years if there is no incentive for these doctors to continue their practice even at a reduced rate.
Liberal Leader Zach Churchill says an all-hands-on deck approach is needed to ensure everyone is supported during this healthcare crisis, and there is no reason why the province can’t implement a recruit program similar to the one in Newfoundland.
