Funding for Healthcare Recruitment in Digby Area

Two western Nova Scotia communities will use funding from the Province to promote their unique advantages to doctors and nurses looking to make a move.

In Bear River, the Bear River and Area Community Health Clinic will create a website and develop a brochure to showcase its thriving rural community, bringing more healthcare professionals to the area.

In Digby, the Digby and Area Health Services Charitable Foundation will offer site visits, career fairs, appreciation events and promotional materials to attract and recruit healthcare workers.

“Each one of these communities is a wonderful place to live and work,” said Jill Balser, Minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration and MLA for Digby-Annapolis, on behalf of Michelle Thompson, Minister responsible for the Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment. “Life in a small community offers great benefits: a slower pace of life, close connection with your neighbours and the ability for one person to make a huge difference. With this support, these groups will be able to highlight these assets and attract the right healthcare professionals to these rural areas.”

The funding is from the government’s new Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment 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 fund, worth $2 million in total, is among the recruitment and retention initiatives outlined in Action for Health, the Province’s plan to improve healthcare.

Quotes:

“We’re looking forward to better highlighting what our community clinic can offer and showcasing our unique community as a great place to live, work and raise a family in a very welcoming environment. We feel a website will provide us a greater advantage in recruitment due to increased online exposure.”

– Shirley Isles, board Chair, Bear River and Area Community Health Clinic

“We are extremely pleased to receive this funding from the Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment. We look forward to working with them, local organizations, the Town of Digby and the Municipality of Digby to facilitate recruitment and retention efforts for the Digby area.”

– Nancy Whalley, community navigator, Digby and Area Health Services Charitable Foundation

Quick Facts:

• the Bear River and Area Community Health Clinic will receive $5,890
• the Digby and Area Health Services Charitable Foundation will receive $47,300
• organizations across the province could apply for up to $100,000 from the Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment 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:

Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment 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