Newfoundland and Labrador has a shortage of radiation therapists, and government officials say looking outside the country could be an option to remedy that problem.

On Wednesday, NAPE sounded the alarm over what they call a “critical shortage” of radiation therapists.

Health Minister Tom Osborne says looking outside Canada to recruit specialists is a route they can take. He notes that the medical act has been passed, which makes it easier for them to recruit from other countries.

Premier Andrew Furey says these are highly-specialized fields, and that people do not come at “a dime a dozen.”

He says they want to work with the union and educational facilities to help facilitate the right number of recruits and upskilling that may be required.

Meanwhile, NAPE President Jerry Earle says the province has to do a better job at retaining highly-skilled medical professionals.

He says the majority of the workers are from outside the province, and when they’re recruited, the province has to be competitive to keep them here. Radiation therapists are specialized workers in high demand and their numbers are small, so when you lose seven in one year says Earle, that’s alarming.