The Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists says radiation cancer treatment in Newfoundland and Labrador is at risk of “crumbling” due to recent resignations from the radiation therapy program.

CAMRT-Atlantic has written ministers Tom Osborne and Siobhan Coady outlining their concerns. The province has lost eight radiation therapists since May—representing more than 25 per cent of staff that have quit in recent months.

No new radiation therapists have been recruited since that time and one of the four radiation treatment units have been shut down since September due to short staffing.

Ninety-nine per cent of cancer patients were able to receive their radiation treatments within the 28-day national standard during COVID and the cyberattack, but that number has dropped to 66 per cent as a result of the staffing shortage.

Health Minister Tom Osborne acknowledges, its a concern, but it’s part of what he says is a national problem.

CAMRT-Atlantic calls that disingenuous or out of touch. The difference, it says, is that other provinces are not budgeting millions to fly cancer patients out of province for radiation therapy.

Minister Osborne says it’s challenging, but they’re doing what they can to recruit more radiation therapists to the province.

Among their recruitment campaigns is the Come Home Year incentive which has already shown interest.

He acknowledges that existing staff need the help to achieve a more reasonable workload and better work/life balance.