For Immediate Release
8 February, 2024
NDP Leader Jim Dinn today called on Premier Andrew Furey to cease searching for health care workers in Dubai and instead stop the bleeding of professionals at home in Newfoundland and Labrador.
“The Liberals still don’t get it,” Dinn said. “Scouring the world to recruit workers is the wrong answer. This government must retain the people we already have.”
With approximately 1905 vacancies in the system, Dinn said it’s obvious that government must seriously address the reasons why health care workers are leaving the system.
“But rather than do this hard work, the Premier apparently prefers to swan around on an international junket,” Dinn said. “I’m asking him to return home immediately and do what’s necessary to retain our doctors, nurses, and other vital health care professionals.”
As a first step Dinn called on government to put an end date on the use of travel nurses, reinvest the money in paying our public healthcare workers in order to keep them in the system, and to meet with the Association of Allied Health Professionals in order to avoid a strike.
“Improving work-life balance and reducing workplace injuries are essential to successfully retaining health care workers,” Dinn said.
“Globetrotting health care recruitment is a waste of valuable time and money unless we can retain the people we already have.”
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For further information, contact Eddy St. Coeur, Director of Communications, NDP Caucus at 729-2137 (o), or eddystcoeur@gov.nl.ca