NSNDP

September 20th, 2017

Liberals block committee meeting on doctor recruitment

NDP had proposed discussion on doctor shortage

HALIFAX –This morning, the Liberal majority on the Public Accounts Committee blocked an NDP proposal for a committee hearing on doctor recruitment.

The NDP had proposed bringing the Digby Area Health Coalition and the Department of Health and Wellness before the committee to discuss the challenges in recruiting doctors to the province.

“There are 106,000 people in our province who don’t have a family doctor, and the Liberals are blocking a key committee of the Legislature from even discussing the issue,” said NDP Leader Gary Burrill.

The Digby Area Health Coalition released two reports in May on the state of primary health care in the region. One report detailed conversations the Coalition had with doctors and other health care professionals who work or have worked in the area.

The MLA for Clare-Digby, Liberal Gordon Wilson, sits on the Public Accounts Committee.

“It’s reasonable for the public to want to know what the Liberal government is doing to address the doctor shortage,” said Tammy Martin, NDP Health and Wellness spokesperson. “What are the Liberals afraid of? If they’re doing all they can to attract doctors to the region, they shouldn’t have any problem with a committee meeting on the topic.”
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