Project Funding to Attract, Retain Healthcare Workers in Truro
Community members gathered to welcome and meet six new medical residents joining the North Nova Family Medicine teaching site in Truro last year. (Contributed)
Relocation guides, welcome kits and organized site visits are a few of the projects that the Truro community will launch this year to attract healthcare workers.
The Truro and Colchester Partnership for Economic Prosperity will receive $75,000 from the Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment (OHPR) Community Fund to deliver recognition events, a social media promotional and recruitment campaign, a new promotional video of the Colchester East Hants Health Centre, and an introduction to skiing programs at Ski Wentworth.
“Having healthcare newcomers and their families transition well and settle into our communities is to our benefit,” said Dave Ritcey, MLA for Truro-Bible Hill-Millbrook-Salmon River, on behalf of Michelle Thompson, Minister responsible for the Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment. “The communities leading these programs know best how to attract and highlight the benefits and lifestyles of their own area, and this funding allows them to do that.”
In total, 30 organizations across the province will receive support through the OHPR Community Fund this year. More details will be announced soon.
The fund, established in 2022, is an action item in Action for Health, the government’s plan to improve healthcare. It supports community healthcare recruitment and retention initiatives organized by local non-profit organizations, charitable community groups, cultural organizations, member-based organizations and boards, municipalities and chambers of commerce.
Quotes:
“With this funding, our projects to highlight the wonderful things about Truro are going to happen and help us secure healthcare workers for our hospitals and clinics. Across the community, we’re working together to be organized and ready with all the right information to help newcomers make that decision to stay here, where they’ll be valued and appreciated.”
— Stephanie Jones, Chair, Truro and Colchester Partnership for Economic Prosperity
Quick Facts:
- the OHPR Community Fund supported 28 community-led recruitment and retention initiatives in 2022-23, investing more than $1.5 million into a range of projects, including healthcare worker recognition events, online support tools, marketing videos and even a community garden
Additional Resources:
OHPR Community Fund news releases: https://news.novascotia.ca/search/all?field_topics=287
Fund guidelines and details are available at: https://novascotia.ca/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