On November 4th, 2022, Premier of NL Andrew Furey and Minister of Health and Community Services Tom Osborne visited the Faculty of Nursing at Memorial University to deliver job offers and answer questions about the government’s incentives to retain healthcare workers.
Premier Furey and Minister Osborne also visited the Faculty of Nursing at Memorial University on October 17th, 2022, to speak about the government’s ongoing efforts to address the shortage of healthcare workers in the province.
Premier Furey and Minister Osborne announced three initiatives later at the Confederation Building on October 17th to benefit NAPE (NL Association of Public and Private Employees) healthcare workers. According to the government’s media release, these are:
1) Retention bonuses for identified NAPE members, targeted to areas where there are identified retention and recruitment challenges, for a return-in-service commitment;
2) Reimbursement of licensing fees for applicable retired healthcare providers who want to return to work
3) Double rate overtime for identified NAPE members, targeted to areas with identified retention and recruitment challenges and is available until January 31st, 2023. It will reduce delays in filling schedules and also should reduce the number of mandated and extended shifts.
According to Premier Furey, “Working collaboratively with Mr. [Jerry] Earle and NAPE, I am confident these measures will have a meaningful impact on the work environment of their union members. I also want to take this opportunity to thank our health care professionals once again for their service and unwavering commitment to the residents of Newfoundland and Labrador. We know the challenges that a workforce shortage creates for our dedicated professionals who continue to carry the load, but we remain committed to finding solutions through recruitment and retention efforts like the ones we’ve announced today.”
This announcement is the latest of multiple incentives instituted by the provincial government to increase the recruitment and retention of healthcare workers in NL—especially in rural areas, where the effects of the physician shortage are the most severe.
