More Funding to Support Healthcare Recruitment, Retention in Cape Breton Regional Municipality

The Province is supporting two groups working to bring healthcare professionals to Cape Breton Regional Municipality and keep the professionals already there.

The Cape Breton Health Navigation Society and the Breton Ability Centre Society will receive funding to help them develop marketing campaigns, host career fairs and create programs to help build community connections with healthcare professionals already in their communities.

“Attracting and keeping healthcare professionals works best when communities are involved,” said Brian Comer, Minister responsible for the Office of Addictions and Mental Health and MLA for Cape Breton East, on behalf of Michelle Thompson, Minister responsible for the Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment. “They are some of Nova Scotia’s best ambassadors because they know their communities better than anyone and know what makes them great.”

The funding is from the government’s new Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment (OHPR) Community Fund. A total of 28 groups across Nova Scotia applied by the December 19 deadline, and more successful applicants will be notified in the coming weeks.

The $2-million community fund is among the recruitment and retention initiatives outlined in Action for Health, the Province’s strategic plan to improve healthcare.

Quotes:

“We are very appreciative of the confidence that has been placed in our group by the office, via this funding. We have witnessed first-hand on numerous occasions where a high-functioning group would be of significant benefit. In addition to our existing funding, we have approached three other high-value community partners who will support our initiatives both financially and as members of our society leadership. Together, we have a passion for this work and a collective vision. We recognize where we currently stand with respect to the work we have yet to do, and we very much look forward to getting started.”

– Bryan Pratt, member, Cape Breton Health Navigation Society

“At Breton Ability Centre, we support more than 100 individuals with varying abilities. Our team is the heart of our organization and consists of more than 300 employees –nurses, residential care workers, behavioural therapists, recreational therapists, social workers and many more. With labour challenges across the sector, this grant will help us put more resources towards the recruitment of caring and dedicated employees.”

– Harman Singh, CEO, Breton Ability Centre Society

Quick Facts:

• the Cape Breton Health Navigation Society will receive $82,500
• the Breton Ability Centre Society will receive $3,000, the full amount for which they applied
• organizations could apply for up to $100,000 from the OHPR Community Fund
• to be eligible, community organizations had to be a registered society, association, non-profit or charity; municipalities and chambers of commerce were also eligible
• two funding streams were available: community identified projects and community readiness supports; groups could request funding from one or both

Additional Resources:

OHPR Community Fund: https://beta.novascotia.ca/apply-funding-recruit-and-retain-healthcare-professionals-ohpr-community-fund

Action for Health: https://novascotia.ca/actionforhealth/

Mandate letter of the Minister of Health and Wellness and Minister responsible for the Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment: https://novascotia.ca/exec_council/letters-2021/ministerial-mandate-letter-2021-DHW.pdf