The provincial government is taking steps to help “stabilize” some of the pressures felt in rural health centers.
There has been a steady stream of temporary rural ER closures across the province in recent months.
Compensation rates to cover emergencies in smaller rural health centers have been increased as a temporary measure until the end of October to help retain existing doctors and attract other substitute doctors to fill vacancies in category B positions.
Prime Minister Andrew Furey says the change comes after discussions with the NLMA that proposed the incentives.
They plan to implement more long-term solutions in the near future.
Furey says incentives are one of the levers they can use to “stop the bleeding,” as he said.
The official launch of the campaign to recruit and retain new health professionals from the Provincial Council will take place tomorrow at 11:30 at the Mockbeggar Plantation in Bonavista.