The province, NLMA, Memorial’s Faculty of Medicine and the College of Physicians and Surgeons are all committed to making changes to improve efficiencies in the accreditation of international doctors.
Premier Andrew Furey was responding to concerns raised by Ukrainian family physician, Marina Sagorska, who this week told VOCM Open Line that she wants to practice in Newfoundland and Labrador, but the accreditation process she has to go through will take years.
Furey admits, he was unaware of the extent of the barriers presented to international doctors hoping to practice in this province, something he says has resulted in the “perfect storm” for rural NL.
He brought together representatives of MUN, the NLMA and the College of Physicians and Surgeons to better understand the issue created by changes to the accreditation process.
He wanted to know where the delays are, what is involved in the credentialing process, and what is the standard set. What Furey says he took away from the meeting was a willingness among all three groups to find efficiencies in the process while maintaining a standard of care.
Premier, Health Minister Launch Recruitment Campaign
Furey and Health Minister Tom Osborne were in Bonavista today—one of the locations that has struggled with the delivery of ER and health care services—to launch a recruitment campaign to attract health care professionals to Newfoundland and Labrador and keep them here.
The campaign Extraordinary Every Day is focused on providing help to lighten the load of the many health care professionals now working in the province.
Premier Andrew Furey says the province has the beauty, work-life balance, adventure and lifestyle that many health care professionals and their families are looking for.
Furey set to rest rumours and fears that the local Bonavista hospital is closing. Nothing could be further from the truth says the Premier.
He acknowledged the frustration in the community and emphasized the importance that the hospital has a functioning ER.
Acute care beds and the staff needed to care for patients in acute care is part of the effort to alleviate some of that pressure, says Furey.
